Twisted Bonds: The Ultimate Sin
by DrunkManSquakin
Summary: Negligence: it has many consequences. This is especially true, in regards to one's offspring. Unfortunately for a newborn pair of twins, the whole world was about to find out what happens when you throw a gargantuan demon fox into the mix of one man's misplaced trust and his disregard for the safety of his children. (AU; FemKyuu/Sasu/others; Incest; Lemons; Yuri; Dark NaruXHarem!)
1. Prologue

**I'M BACK, BITCHES! BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAA!**

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 **Warning: this is not a story for children! It contains violence, swearing, exceptionally-dark subject matters, alcohol and drug usage, sexual content, incest, impregnation, polygamy, polyamorous relationships, female homosexual shenanigans, and a highly anti-heroic main cast. It was also written by a morbidly-facetious, brutally-honest, crazy fucker with a juvenile sense of humor. You have been warned.**

 **In addition, this fanfic takes place in a heavily-revamped alternate universe setting with elements and characters from multiple other fictional stories, including—though possibly not limited to—anime, video games, and manga, having been added to the mix. It is thus to be assumed that any and all elements in the official Naruto canon simply do not apply, here, until it has been indicated otherwise. This includes, but may not be limited to, the genders, backgrounds, and/or certain personality traits of specific characters.**

 **In other words, this story just ain't for everyone—nor was it ever intended to be such. If this ain't your cup of tea, please note that I'm not forcing you to read my shit; nor am I encouraging others to do so. Thank you.**

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 **Disclaimer: I will say this once. I do not own the anime, manga, artwork, characters or any other elements of the fictional story known as Naruto. The individual who does is one Masashi Kishimoto. The same applies to any and all of the characters and elements that have been or will be "borrowed" from other intellectual properties.**

 **Said properties include, but may not be limited to Bleach, Yakuza Girl, Rurouni Kenshin, Kenichi: The Mightiest Disciple, Inuyasha, and Soul Calibur. The owners of these properties are Tite Kubo, Masaki Motonaga, Watsuki Nobuhiro, Matsuena Syun, Rumiko Takahashi, and Bandai Namco Entertainment, respectively—in other words, not me.**

 **Should any elements and/or characters of any other game, anime, manga, book, movie, or other intellectual property of any kind (famous or otherwise; patented or otherwise) not already listed be introduced into this story, I do not own them either, unless it is clearly stated otherwise.**

 **The story you are currently reading is completely fan-based and is not, in any way, being written for the sake or hope of monetary compensation. All "original" content, however, is owned by me, unless credit is given to someone else.**

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 **Finally, this fanfic has been written as an answer to both the "Naruto Hates the Yondaime" Challenge and the "Uchiha and Hyuuga: Naruto's Defenders" Story Idea (which may have recently became a challenge, I'm not sure). Both of these belong to Fanfiction-dot-net user, dracohalo117. It is worth noting that I have been given permission to change the way in which Naruto and Nariko discover their lineage, as the Kyuubi will imply. It's also worth noting that I am referring to the challenge as it was before the changes he has made since.**

 **Either way, credit goes to dracohalo117 for these ideas, as he was the inspiration behind them. Anything beyond these elements, however, has been either borrowed or conceived as a result of my own craziness.**

 **Constructive criticism is welcome, but any and all flames will be used to warm my tootsies at night... or laughed at... or completely ignored. It depends on my mood. Anonymous reviews have also been enabled.**

 **With all that said and outta the way, let us start the show, shall we?**

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 **Twisted Bonds: the Ultimate Sin**

 **Prologue: So it Begins**

 _Konohagakure no Sato… The Village Hidden among the Leaves… the closest thing to a utopia for ninja and civilian alike that currently existed—or what was_ left _of it—was now in shambles. The rampage of Kyuubi no Youko, the Nine Tailed Demon Fox and mightiest of the Bijuu, had decimated the western half of the village and cut its citizen population down by fifty-two percent. Still, the people persevered; thousands of lives were lost that night, but, even then, the demon was defeated!_

 _Due to the last, dying efforts of one man the colossal fox's rampage was brought to an end. Sadly, though, the Kyuubi could not be killed, so the Yondaime Hokage—Namikaze Minato—gave his life to separate the fox's flesh from its soul and sealed the Bijuu into his twin children. The boy, Naruto, acquired the Yin half of the Kyuubi's Youki, accompanied by the fox's soul, while the flesh and Yang half were placed within his sister, Nariko._

 _Unknown to Minato, however, his actions condemned those children to a life of hell which would lead them to curse their father's very name. The villagers would spit on the dying wish of their hero, blindly seeing the Yondaime's children as demons, themselves, and, in time, the fate of Konohagakure no Sato would find itself dependent upon the very same children its people had long-since rejected…_

 _In the end, Namikaze Minato, Yondaime Hokage, and the Yellow Flash of Konoha would eventually learn—the_ hard _way, one might add—that he'd let his ultimate sacrifice become his ultimate sin…_

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 **Three Days after the attack…**

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Yes, it had been three days since the Kyuubi nearly annihilated the village... from their perspective, at least, and the once-retired Sandaime Hokage—Sarutobi Hiruzen—was forced to reclaim his mantle of power.

While appearing far more frail than he truly was, Hiruzen was still more than able to take on the job.

There was a fire in his wrinkled, brown eyes, and his balding head was adorned by a wide, ceremonial, semi-conical hat emblazoned with the Kanji for fire. It was white with red-orange accents and his still-toned, slender frame was dressed in matching robes. A pair of tabi and zouri upon his feet and a white, spiked goatee upon his chin finished the look.

This man and the Councils of Konoha were now seated within their circular courtroom chamber, once again debating the fates of two very familiar, golden-haired infants with whisker-like birthmarks upon their cheeks.

Said children were lying in a simple, wooden crib surrounded by two teams of Konoha's best ANBU. Each _visible_ ninja was sitting on his or her ankles in a neat, little circle around the kids—with the exception of two women who were garbed in civilian attire.

These women were named Uzuki Yuugao and Haruno Rin, and they did their damnedest to watch over the children. It didn't take long for them to become quite attached to these little bundles of joy.

In the meantime, the Councils and Kage continued their debate. But, alas, one could say things were quickly getting redundant… again.

Behind his tall podium, the Hokage sat high and mighty, as a leader should. To his left were the seats of the Civilian Council members. To his right sat the Shinobi Council, and across the room resided the Elder Council. More importantly, the retired ninjas among the Elders—Shimura Danzou, Utatane Koharu, and Mitokado Homura—were making themselves the centers of attention.

Three days, these three, in particular, had persisted in debating the infants' fate. A majority of the councils, including the Shinobi Elders, argued for children to be groomed into weapons. They found it to be quite strange that this was even a debate, really; this was the power of a demon that had been sealed into the children, after all! Of course it made perfect sense to use this power for the good of the village—to them, at least. A small group among the councils, though, argued on behalf of the children and their father's heroic sacrifice. They begged for the Hokage and the others to honor the Yondaime's memory and to the right thing.

Unfortunately for this small group and the children, however, the aged Hokage—among others—agreed with the Shinobi Elders' reasoning; he just didn't agree with the terms they were looking to apply.

First off, letting the twins be raised and trained under those three would almost certainly mean the twins would turn out being less than human. The infamously-inhumane Ne Program resulted in Danzou's near-execution and served as ghastly proof of how far the man was willing to go in "training" someone... and was also why Hiruzen had been quite glad to have _personally_ removed the old warmonger's right arm.

Second off, the three in question had a bit of a reputation for power mongering and underhanded bullshit. Granted, the latter was to be expected from ninjas, but in Konoha, there were laws against that kinda shit being used on allies. Obviously, the Shinobi Elders simply couldn't be trusted to respect those regulations— _especially_ in this case. Even the Civilian Council was well aware of that.

How the fuck these three still retained the power they had was anyone's guess, at the moment...

They, however, were not currently being the biggest problem, here. No, instead, there was another proposition that was gaining a frightful popularity—the prospect of killing the twins; thus the Kyuubi, by extension.

This was simply not acceptable; they were _children_ for fuck's sake! Hell, they were the children of two of the village's greatest heroes to boot! Hiruzen simply could not allow this!

Unfortunately for Hiruzen, the three people who could've helped him most on the matter were nowhere to be found, and that was because of his _own_ damn actions... actions that he was quickly starting to regret, but that was a subject for another time, as the debate continued.

Leading it, at the moment, was a man approaching his thirties with long, black hair and coal-colored eyes. His elaborate robes denoted a high station, and his hateful gaze made his opinion towards the infants rather clear. This man's name was Uchiha Fugaku, Head of the Uchiha Clan and Chief of General Law-Enforcement.

"Surely you people realize that these children are a liability," suggested the Uchiha. "Letting them roam freely with the Kyuubi's presence within them could very well lead to our utter destruction! If taking advantage of that power is out of the question, then I propose that we eliminate them now, and keep the demon's power from being turned against us!"

"I agree," Haruno Mebuki chirped. "Why are we just sitting around and discussing this in the first place?! We should finish what the Yondaime started and be done with it!"

Down in the center of the room, Nariko started crying, as if sensing the danger to her life and that of her twin.

Rin was hard-pressed to keep from grimacing at the Head of Real Estate's words, as she did her best to calm the poor girl down. Her expression then went sour, when Naruto started crying, as well. Both of the ANBU women tending to the brats let out a frustrated groan at that. These kids had both _just_ stopped crying, damn it!

 _'Kizashi, you poor bastard,'_ Rin thought to herself, as she picked Nariko back up and started soothing her. _'for the life of me, I can't figure out what you see in that bitch.'_

"Why the fuck are they even here?!" The question was more shouted in frustration than being legitimately brought up by Fugaku. "Why can't you have them be watched over elsewhere?"

"Watch your tongue," the Hokage barked, "to answer _both_ of your questions, Hatake Kakashi is why. You have heard about the incident, have you not?"

That one shut him up, real quick.

Indeed, everyone in the room had heard about it. Not even a full ten minutes after they had been born, the very man who had been assigned to guard them had tried to kill them both in cold blood with his signature assassination technique, Raikiri: the Lightning Blade. Apparently, the man had been driven insane by the grief that came from losing his teacher and father figure, Minato. That was the official story, at least, though there were more than a few skeptics

Rin believed it wholeheartedly, albeit sadly. Having known her former teammate for years, she knew damn well that Kakashi had considered the Yondaime to be the only family he'd had left. Seeing him going mad the way he allegedly had wasn't hard for her to picture... though it was in _other_ ways.

Fugaku didn't care, though; he was just smart enough not to piss off the Hokage... especially after what happened to Kakashi.

Danzou, not wanting to waste the opportunity, spoke, "keeping them from being turned against the village is precisely why they should be placed under my care!"

"Denied," Hiruzen replied, his tone unamused as he shot the man down just a bit more quickly than what may have been considered proper, "...again."

"Loathe as I am to admit it," Kurosawa Ibara, the village's Head of the Foreign Relations Department, spoke up, "Danzou-Sama's right about one thing: they need protection." She then turned her attention to Mebuki. "Also, to answer your question, the Yondaime, himself wanted them to be safe! Unlike you, apparently, I actually did my homework on the subject, because I couldn't help but wonder how he sealed one demon into two kids." Ibara then folded her arms with an irritated huff. "The texts describing the technique clearly state that the _God of Death_ , himself was summoned to split the demon in half and stored it away in a pair of seals not dissimilar from those crazy scrolls that our village's ninja use. By implying that they're a danger, because of what was sealed into them, you're not just doubting the power of our Yondaime, Mebuki-San; you're doubting the power of a god!"

A thundering silence echoed throughout the chamber; even the twins stopped crying, once more.

Then, Hiruzen spoke, nodding in gratitude to "thank you for clarifying that, Kurosawa-San." Then, he addressed the rest of the council. "I believe now is as good a time as any to finally put this to rest. Is there anything anyone wants to add, before deciding where to house the children?"

Then, air in the room went stale, as Mebuki asked, "why do I feel a sense of impending doom?"

Then, as if on cue, the twins started crying once more.

Sensing something amiss, Tenzou of the Shinobi council—the Supreme Captain of ANBU—suddenly swore and jumped out of his seat, running towards the children.

The air felt dead and the temperature rose; it was hard to breathe, and the lights started to flicker, as the room, itself, seemed to quake. Everyone in the room panicked, demanding to know what the fuck was going on, and then, without warning, a bright, orange flash engulfed the chamber.

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The room would not stop dancing, as Hiruzen pushed himself off the desk he was lying on, wondering what, exactly, had just happened. While the Hokage was busy blinking the swirling, pretty colors out of his eyes, several groans sounded throughout the Council Chamber.

While most of the Civilian and Elder Councils stayed unconscious, with but a handful of exceptions, most of the Shinobi Council was faring much better. The vast majority of the ANBU, however, seemed to have been too close to whatever the hell that was. Rin and Yuugao seemed okay, albeit still dazed, despite having awoken a good ten feet from where they'd... previously... been... wait a second.

Hiruzen's attention snapped elsewhere, as a woman giggled, sitting atop what was left of the crib that the children had occupied—Naruto in her arms, and Nariko sleeping happily in her lap.

The woman in question was barefoot and garbed in an orange yukata. The garment was decorated in black and white, tribal-looking flame designs and held up with a white obi. The woman's straight, orange locks were arranged in a quaint, feminine bowl cut that reached down to her shoulders, and her slit, almond-shaped, amber eyes held an odd combination of childish mischief and sagely wisdom.

What stood out mist, however, were the vulpine ears atop her head and... nine... fox-like... tails.

Hiruzen shouted, "Kyuubi!"

The sudden noise scared the twins, causing them to cry, as the woman glared at the old man. "For the record," she grumbled, "my name is Shoki. Do you honestly think my father was lazy and unimaginative enough to call me _Nine Tails_?!"

Unfortunately... for Tenzou, he decided to interrupt her by flashing through a series of hand signs, and thrust his tattooed palm in the newly-identified Shoki's direction.

"Oh, how _quaint_ ," the demonic vixen hissed, her visage a sickly-sweet grin.

Then, suddenly, there was a loud rip, and Shoki got a closer look at that tattoo, eyeballing the severed forearm that had just... _appeared_ in her free hand. She completely ignored the blood curdling scream and the looks of utter horror from her spectators.

The twins seemed to give as much of a shit about them as she did.

What had most startled everyone else in the room, however, was that this woman had appeared to have not budged an inch, Nariko was still in her lap, and Shoki was at least a good fifteen feet from Tenzou, when she... somehow relocated the man's forearm.

Said man's ceremonial, porcelain tiger mask—which denoted his position among Konoha's elite special forces—had also fallen off, revealing a young, square-faced brat that wasn't much older than fifteen or so. His deep, brown eyes were impressively filled with far more rage than actual pain.

All things considered, Shoki couldn't help but to be entertained by the young mans sheer willpower... unfortunately, she also couldn't help but take a quick jab at the poor, little fucker. "What," she chuckled, "did you honestly think I would've let you live, had I thought that little trick of yours would still work?" She then tossed the limb to Rin.

The tattooed brunette in question fully awoke at that. A startled yelp came from her at the realization of what had just happened and she scurried off to Tenzou's side. There was a faint, pale green glow, as Rin scrambled to reattach her Supreme Captain's arm, using her Mystic Palm Technique.

Hiruzen glared down at the demonic woman, weighing his options, wondering what he could do. But, seeing her manhandle one of the highest men on the totem pole of Konoha's military elite in such a way had left the Hokage feeling understandably wary of her. Was there anything he _could_ do? Hiruzen sighed, opting to keep her talking. Perhaps he could negotiate with the beast?

"What are you doing out of the seal?" Despite his wording, Hiruzen's tone was wisely respectful, having a tinge of legitimate curiosity to it, rather than demand. "Your escape should have been impossible."

"Someone forgot how Fuuinjutsu works, in his old age," Shoki chirped. "When placed upon a living creature... or two, Seals always derive their power from their bearers' will."

'Twas but a half-truth, but, damn it, that look on the old man's face was _priceless_!

"Why would they want you out?" The one who had spoken was Kyouraku Shunsui of the Civilian Council, a laid back-looking gentleman with a sandy brown ponytail and stubble. He was also a smart man, though he knew next to nothing about Fuuinjutsu, and what this demonic vixen was implying didn't seem very plausible to him.

"Because, one old man, in particular," Shoki replied, before glaring at Hiruzen, as if to indicate that she was talking about him, "left this adorable, little pair of kits without a mommy."

Rin didn't want to believe it... she really, truly didn't want to. But, when she looked up, the look on Hiruzen's face spoke _volumes_. "Hokage-Sama," she gasped, "why would you do that?"

The opinions of several people had dropped that day, when it was made so clear that Sarutobi Hiruzen was to blame for Kushina's disappearance.

"That said," Shoki continued, "I've found myself growing quite attached to them... so, I've agreed to fill that slot, in exchange for my freedom."

"And, you honestly think I'd let you?" Hiruzen's defiant glare made his opinion on the matter rather clear.

"To be honest," Shoki replied, "your compliance doesn't _need_ to be a factor. As I made perfectly clear the last time someone in this village pissed me off, I am quite capable of leaving absolutely _nothing_ in my wake, in the event that I'm forced to relocate. But, if you insist, I'm sure Oonoki would be quite appreciative of the Yellow Flash and Black Tide's legacy fighting under _his_ banner. That would be quite the poetic justice, I must say."

That notion was not a popular one, if the looks of horror were anything to go by.

"Rest assured," she added, "the only reason I haven't done that, yet, is my own desire to avoid awkward questions, if I can. But, if I have no choice, then I have... no... _choice_."

"Very well, then," Hiruzen replied with a dejected sigh. There wasn't much he could do, and he knew it.

"Good boy," Shoki giggled. She then took on a fully human-looking appearance, as her tails retracted into her spine and her vulpine ears vanished with them—a pair of human ones presumably taking their place under her fiery locks. "I'll be sure to remain close, in case you need anything."

With that, the woman appeared to fade from existence, taking the twins with her, as her haunting cackle seemed to linger, even after she'd left.

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Later that day, Shoki could be seen wandering the remaining southern streets of Konoha. The vixen kept the twins in a quaint, little wicker basket with leather straps, as she arrived at her destination: the slum district. Adjusting the little basket that held her new "litter" onto her back—where the hell she _got_ the damn thing remaining quite the mystery—the new mother ventured forth, gaining the attention of the many people who surrounded her. Unknown to them, this strange woman—whom they had just labeled as fresh meat, at the time—was the closest thing to a messiah that they would ever have the pleasure of gazing upon, despite how brief her visit was sadly meant to be…

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 **Dragon Ball Z Abridged is the intellectual property of Team Four Star. That being said the reference made in this chapter and all that may follow are unabashedly inspired by their work, though I will keep them fairly limited.**

 **I simply couldn't help but be inspired by their interpretation of Cell, in regards to a piece of Shoki's dialogue, in particular. "To be honest, your compliance isn't a factor," just sounded too epic and fits too damn well for me not to have. I also couldn't help but to "borrow" the Jockstrap Incident and expand upon it, in later chapters. That said, credit goes to them for these elements.**

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 **In regards to the names: in Japan, one's surname is said before one's given name when giving one's full name. The Hokage, for example, would be called Hiruzen Sarutobi, here in the 'States. But, in Japan, his name is Sarutobi Hiruzen.**

 **The reason I'm flipping the names like this and using honorifics to the best of my abilities is to try and give the setting a Japanese feel, as the show's universe was quite thoroughly inspired by that culture, in particular. I hope this helps with any confusion I might be causing as a result.**

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 **Trivia:**

 **Shoki's name, according my my sources, means: heat, hot weather, sunstroke and heatstroke. When spelled with certain kanji, it can also mean secretary, I hear. You have no idea how much I wanted to use that for comic relief.**

 **The "nari" in Nariko's name means gentle, while the "ko" means child.**

 **Kyouraku Shunsui is originally a Bleach character, thus owned by Tite Kubo. In Konoha, he's in charge of maintaining all aspects of the entertainment industry, including but not limited to movie theaters, bars, brothels, the porn industry, and the like.**

 **Tenzou, for those familiar with his character, is not Orochimaru's guinea pig in this fic; the technique he tried to use on Shoki was a high-level secret art he presumably learned through conventional means.**

 **I started writing this story long before Rin's surname, Nohara, was FINALLY revealed, years after her introduction into the manga. (Took ya long enough, Kishimoto-San...) She's still a Haruno in this fic, however, because I didn't feel like changing that.**

 **Each council has six members. The rest will be revealed, as needed, over the course of the story.**

 **Finally, this story is being edited by my beautiful fiancee, and credit also goes to her for helping me make the council seem more polarized from the get-go.**

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 **Techniques mentioned:**

 **Raikiri (Lightning Blade): a lightning-based assassination technique unique to one Hatake Kakashi. That's all I'm saying, for now.**

 **Shousen Jutsu (Mystic Palm Technique): a standard medical technique that heals wounds and repairs organs. It's channeled through the hands, and can only be used at close range. High-level users can even reattach limbs, stabilize a subject who's in critical condition, or even sustain up to two dying subjects until help arrives.**


	2. Chapter 1

**Twisted Bonds: the Ultimate Sin**

 **Arc One: Cutting the Path  
Chapter One: Convergence Among the Shadows**

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 **The tale continues…**

 **Eight years after the Kyuubi's attack**

 **Exact Location: Unknown**

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Darkness… That was all she saw. Then again, being bound, gagged, blindfolded, and chucked into a burlap sack made that rather obvious. But, how did she get here? All Shizuka could remember was coming home from the Ninja Academe. Yes, that was it! She had stayed after school to improve her skill in marksmanship. The kunoichi-hopeful quickly that while throwing kunai came rather easy to her, she had a harder time getting the shuriken to hit their marks.

After several hours and a few close calls with a nearby cat, Shizuka finally felt she had the technique down. Utterly ecstatic, the girl in question practically _skipped_ home. But, when she reached the gates to the Uchiha Compound, Shizuka… _sensed_ something wrong. It was like a feeling of impending doom she just couldn't shake. Rushing in, against her better judgment, Shizuka saw something that made her freeze up, entirely—blood. All around the compound, everything was dyed a deep, nauseating crimson. Dozens of bodies and dismembered portions littered the bloody dirt road, but what pulled Shizuka out of her shock and filled her with utter dread was the young man standing in the middle of it all.

There was no mistake; the man covered in red and holding a dripping sword… the man in front of her was Shizuka's big brother, Itachi!

Then, the moment that she made this realization, Shizuka felt a sharp pain at the base of her skull and her world went black… Tonight was just not her night, was it? First her brother was standing in a makeshift Uchiha graveyard, stabbing their uncle in the chest right in front of her, now some random jerk clubbed her upside the head and stuffed the hapless child into a potato sack! Needless to say, she didn't like it in there.

On top of that, why was Itachi killing their family? Shizuka had to confront him! She needed to try and understand what was happening! She needed to see who survived! She needed to get the _hell_ out of this old bag, before it gave her a rash! With that in mind, Uchiha Shizuka, daughter of Uchiha Mikoto and Uchiha Fugaku and heiress of the Uchiha Clan did the only thing an entrapped, eight-year-old girl could do—she let out a loud squeal and _squirmed_ with all her might!

Meanwhile, unbeknownst to Shizuka, another girl—another _heiress_ , one might add—shared her plight.

Hyuuga Hinata had been awake for some time, now. Never before had the helpless, white-eyed six-year-old been so scared. She just wanted to go to bed, but then, the big man with a funny mask popped up out of nowhere and _hit_ her!

Now, she was tied up, blindfolded, tossed into a big, scratchy bag… and feeling rather claustrophobic. In other words, poor Hinata wanted to cry.

Finally, the last party involved in all this came in the form of five people that seemed to fly through the shadows of the dimly-lit streets. With the cover of darkness on their sides, these intruders were easily capable of avoiding the nightly patrols of Konoha.

Each person within this standard infiltration unit was garbed in black cargo pants, white combat boots, a varying black shirt, a white armored vest, and black gloves. A blank, porcelain mask was also worn on each face, signifying their place within ANBU—the Elite Special Forces' Units who served as the guardians, hunters, and black operatives of whatever Ninja Village they resided within.

The masks had little in the realm of distinguishing features, being almost completely flat and bone-white in color. A pair of thin slits rested where their eyes would be—presumably so they could see—and an amorphous crest vaguely resembling clouds was carved into the plaster surface of each mask, symbolizing that these ninja were from Kumogakure no Sato, the Village Hidden within the Clouds.

The mission of this team was quite simple; use the chaos ensued by Itachi to kidnap the Hyuuga Clan Heiress, Hinata. As an added bonus, they had also used this same opportunity to grab the Uchiha Clan Heiress, Shizuka.

Despite their previous luck, however, there was just one issue getting in their way: they were fucking _lost_!

"Damn it, Fundo!" One man hissed, "This is no time for your sense of direction to kick in!"

"You shut up," the indignant co-captain shot back. Being the only one worth mention, Fundo was a plum-haired, dark-skinned woman, and as her namesake implied, she was _very_ angry, at the moment. Upon her snarl, the woman's subordinates got the message and kept their mouths shut.

On a side note, the four in question were all male. Some of them had light skin, some had dark, and each of them was either blond or a redhead. These traits were rather common in Kaminari no Kuni, so this came as no surprise.

Snarling again, this time at her surroundings, Fundo looked to each side as her team moved on. They were headed south, into the slum district, and every damn thing here looked the _same_! Then, just as the five Kumo ANBU ducked into what felt like the hundredth alley, their leader heard a pair of sharp, yet subtle whistles. Looking to her left, Fundo saw the leader of the extraction team, Yoshi.

Giving the blond, light-skinned man a nod, Fundo and her team converged with Yoshi's unit and sprinted further to the south, where their captain and the second extraction team were waiting. None of the foreign ninja ever noticed the blurred silhouette floating above them, watching since they had left the Hyuuga Compound.

The form in question was rather small—merely the height of an average child. Then again, size was not always everything. Just as the hidden observer spied the two ANBU teams bolting off, a pair of orange flashes sparked out from where its eyes would've been and the person faded from sight, entirely.

* * *

 **Meanwhile...**

 **Criminal Detention Facility Number Thirteen of Konohagakure no Sato**

* * *

As the large drawbridge came crashing down with a bang, Shoki casually crossed over the prison's imposing pit of lava. While _this_ particular facility didn't "normally" allow visitors, the ninja forces of Konoha were explicitly ordered by the Hokage, himself, _not_ to get in this woman's way when she wanted something and to comply with whatever demands she had. Granted, this only applied to those within reason, but letting a strange woman—with some type of _obvious_ leverage over their leader—pay a few "visits" to "chat" with some of the worst criminals in the history of Hi no Kuni was far from extreme... according to him.

While many among them would've gladly argued with such logic, it was their job to _enforce_ the rules; not to make them. In other words, extortion really _was_ quite fun.

Waltzing past the guards, knowing they could not legally get in her way, the disguised fox demon continued on towards her destination—the holding cell where she would meet up with one Semimaru Reiko.

* * *

In a dark chamber, a white-haired woman with dark, mocha-colored skin and… _one_ crimson eye lay upon her bed, _trying_ to get some sleep. Her right eye—or what was left of it—was covered by a simple, black eye patch, having been lost a long time ago. Her still smooth, healthy skin was only marred by a number of black, swirl-shaped, tribal-looking tattoos that covered a large portion of her torso and limbs, and her long, once-well-kept hair had become rather tangled, due to her four years of incarceration.

Her name was Semimaru Reiko. By the age of sixteen, she had already become one of the most infamous drug lords in the history of the _continent._ Starting at fourteen, she had killed the original lord of a bandit group in Tanzaku Gai and inherited his leadership over the future-yakuza gang by killing, extorting, or otherwise cowing everyone who had opposed her.

This also served to make her double as one of the _youngest_ drug lords in history.

Two years later, Konoha had sent three full ANBU units to apprehend Reiko and her lackeys, only to find that she had completely eradicated the entire cartel, including the team of double agents which were inserted by the Uchiha Police Force. This mass murder and the chaos it ensued had earned her the name "Genocide Reiko" and effectively destroyed the majority of the evidence that Konoha had built up over Reiko's two-year reign.

While they did have her on two-hundred-fifty-eight counts of murder in the first degree, there was just one glaring setback which had kept Reiko from receiving the only fitting punishment for such a heinous act—at the age of sixteen, she was too young to legally receive the death penalty in Hi no Kuni, regardless of her crimes.

This would not have been a problem if she were a kunoichi, but as a civilian, she was still not legally considered an adult until the age of _eighteen_!

As infuriated as they were, the people of the court—and the Uchiha Clan—were forced to settle for a sentence of natural life in prison without the possibility of parole. This meant that Reiko was stuck here until the day she died.

It wasn't so bad at first, as all Reiko had ever sought in her life was a simple means to survive. Now, she had food, shelter, and the clothes on her back—all for free, one might add. But, as was often the case in prison, she longed to be free, again. She wanted to live her life in a home of her own, not a cage. She wanted to feel the sun on her face, again, to eat a well cooked meal that she didn't expect to crawl off of her plate, half the time, and, perhaps even to fall in love, some day.

Needless to say, none of that was ever going to happen here. Recently, however, a small glimmer of hope came to Reiko in the form of a mysterious woman who sought her help; a woman named Shoki.

Immediately after the name had crossed her mind, a loud clank caught her attention. The distinctive noise was one Reiko had come to recognize as the sound of her cell door opening. Sure enough, a small team of prison guards was standing there, waiting to extract her.

Seeing his charge was awake, the man directly in front of the cell spoke.

"Your _friend_ is here to see you, now," he said. Reiko could hear the barb in the man's tone as he referred to Shoki. It was clear what his opinions of the orange-haired woman were, and they weren't pretty.

With a nod, Reiko stood up and approached the trio of men, not saying a word. Calmly accepting the shackles, the white-haired woman was led down the hall and into an empty cell that served make-shift visiting chamber. This was where she would meet her guest.

* * *

Shoki waited patiently, sitting in a small chair as Reiko and her escorts entered. Once the white-haired woman sat down and made herself as comfortable as was possible, all things considered, everyone's favorite fox demon decided to break the proverbial ice.

"So," she chirped, "how's Hell?"

Reiko replied with an unamused scoff, "Devil's on holiday. Without him around, my eternal damnation is quickly becoming rather dull." With that, Reiko gave an overly-dramatic yawn, eliciting a small chuckle from her soon-to-be savior. "Humor aside, what's new?"

"I'll soon be calling in a few favors from some new friends in high places," Shoki said, putting on a more serious face, "if I could legally get you out of here, what would you be willing to do for me?"

Reiko gave a long pause at that one. Was this chic serious?! After a moment of thought, though, the former drug lord gave her answer. "It depends on what you mean by getting me out of here. If you meant that you'd give me back my freedom, then, hell, I'd be willing to give you _grandchildren_ , if you asked me to."

Reiko was no stranger to the harsh whispers spoken behind the disguised vixen's back. While she didn't know what to believe, in some cases, she _did_ know Shoki had adopted the children of the last "official" member of the Uzumaki Clan. Then again, she didn't really _need_ to know much, just yet.

Meanwhile, the guards were not at all pleased to hear the conversation, though they did not voice it. While they could do nothing at the moment, due to the Hokage's orders, they _had_ to tell him of this. Perhaps he could stop this woman? Surely, he knew Genocide Reiko was far too dangerous to let out!

* * *

 **With the ninja from Kumo...**

* * *

Back in the slum district, the ANBU squads pressed on, still unaware of their ghostly stalker. Perched atop an old, rickety, black building, the now-invisible boy waited for his prey to stop again. Once the two squads ducked into another alley, the boy lifted his hand before himself. Then, almost immediately, a small, blue flame erupted in front of his palm and condensed into a perfect sphere. Once it was complete, the little, blue ball then shot forth.

On the ground, Yoshi—apparently not living up to his name—was the first to go. In a blue flash, he was he was reduced to a pile of soot before he could even feel the pain; _cremated_ in roughly the amount of time that it took to _blink_!

"Formation Gama!" Fundo screamed. "Full defense!"

Unfortunately, her first reply came in the form of three more members of her team being completely incinerated. What scared her most was that each fireball responsible for doing so came from a different direction!

Grabbing the pair of now-wriggling sacs from the men that had held them up to this point, Fundo stood in the center of the protective ring formation her remaining comrades formed, preparing to bolt the instant an opportunity showed itself. With their swords drawn, the remainder of the extraction and infiltration teams stood ready to defend their surviving co-captain. Sadly, neither of them would get the chance they sought.

Their stalker had expected such a reaction, and with his next attack, they would _all_ be dead... ideally. If not, his friends would mop up the rest. Raising his arm one last time, the boy prepared his final assault. Sensing this sudden Chakra spike, the ninja on the ground went into a frenzy. Their reflexes were not enough to save them, though, as when the boy gave a wave of his hand, there was an explosive swirl of blue fire that could be clearly seen from the Hokage Tower.

* * *

 **Meanwhile...**

* * *

After a brief silence, Shoki seemed to suddenly flinch and her expression darkened. _'My kits need me,'_ she thought. Regaining her composure, she stood and addressed Reiko, once again. "Well, I believe we're almost done, here. I just need one last question answered."

The red-eyed woman was startled by the sudden change in Shoki's expression, but nodded. "Fine by me," she said, "fire away."

"This is an important one," the vixen warned, "answering wrong or dishonestly could very well make me change my mind in letting you free." Seeing Reiko's remaining eye widen, the fox knew that she got her point across. "Why did you kill your entire drug cartel?"

While she already knew the answer, Shoki wanted to hear it from the other woman's lips.

Reiko took a soothing breath, taking a moment to gather her thoughts. She knew by her tone that the orange-haired woman was deadly serious. Looking Shoki in the eye, Reiko vividly recalled the day the ninja forces of Konoha had arrested her.

"Well, first off," She explained, "my relations with them were strictly based on business. I didn't know any of them on a personal level, but I did know someone was stabbing me in the back…"

"…And so, you 'burned the haystack' to find the needles," Shoki finished in a questioning tone. Her expression, however, was unreadable.

Reiko visibly squirmed at her own words being used against her. She remembered saying just that, all too well. "In most cases, I'll admit. But, there were a few that I did trust and I had originally intended to spare them.

But, when I sensed the ANBU coming, I knew I was going to be caught, so I _had_ to kill the rest and destroy the records. If Konoha knew what I was doing in other nations…"

"I know," Shoki cut in, speaking softly. "You would've been tried by their laws and sentenced to death." With one last look at the white haired woman, she walked off. "That's all I needed to know."

As she passed by the guards, the veiled demoness then addressed the leader of the team. "You can take her back to her cell, but if she is harmed in any way, I _will_ find out, and I _will_ make you all pay. Am I clear?" Seeing the man nod, she then smiled and began to fade away, like a lifting fog. "Good. Make sure to spread the word."

Unfortunately for Reiko, she didn't hear that last part, so it was understandable that her nervousness lead to very little sleep, that night.

* * *

 **Some unknown amount of time later...**

* * *

It was quiet; _too_ quiet. The only sound Shoki could detect was someone's shallow panting. Looking to her side, she could see that Naruto was worried, but rather calm. That put Shoki a bit more at ease; if Nariko was harmed or in danger, then her brother would be having a fit. The twins always _did_ have a powerful—though mysterious—link between them, so there was little to worry about, in the physical department. Still, first kills were never easy. If anything, the girl was likely scared out of her mind—among other things—so, finding her was the mother vixen's very first priority, at the moment.

Nariko wasn't hard to find; she _was_ one of the very few living humans in the area, after all, and she was far too distressed to even _consider_ hiding. The girl in question was sitting on the chest of a blue-haired woman, when Shoki found her. Tiny, trembling hands were still wrapped around the fresh corpse's windpipe, as Nariko stared into the set of glazed, blue eyes that stared back with a look of acceptance. It had seemed almost laughable that a ratty-looking, eight-year-old girl could _possibly_ take on an elite, foreign kunoichi, but Nariko wasn't just _any_ little girl; she was _Shoki's_ little girl.

Then again, the four other brats in the area, backing her up, didn't exactly hurt...

Approaching the quivering blonde, careful not to alarm her, Shoki pulled her kit into a warm, comforting embrace. Nariko didn't so much as blink, when her mother draped an arm around her, but once she found herself in the woman's hold, the little blonde let loose a loud whimper, trying hard not to cry.

"It's okay," Shoki cooed, "let it out."

Spurred by her mother's words, Nariko did just that. A huge sob wracked her tiny frame as the guilt and self-loathing from killing another human being slowly poured out of her. It was no different when the orange-haired woman found Naruto, and she was glad; it showed that despite being raised to think like demons, they had not become monsters. Even demons had morals, contrary to popular belief, but monsters did not, and the guilt the twins felt was proof that they hadn't lost their sense of right and wrong.

Despite the sadness in knowing she'd have to leave, soon, Shoki felt comfort in the fact that her kits would make her proud, as they grew and developed. All she needed, now, was for someone to pick up where she left off, and the demonic woman knew the perfect candidates for the job.

* * *

 **Nariko's half of the fight was removed, because it made her seem just a bit too overpowered, in my older, more refined opinion. I may eventually reinsert another, where she's not implied to take on an ANBU co-captain on her own, but, for now, I like what I see.**

 **Not much to say, beyond that, other than I fucking _loved_ writing Shoki. =3**

* * *

 **Trivia:**

 **Semimaru Reiko is from Yakuza Girl and is thus owned by Masaki Motonaga. She also appears to not be brown in the original manga. The cover art was quite deceptive in my defense, but I've decided to keep her skin darker, because I felt like it.**

 **Fundo's name means frustration. She and the other ANBU shown here were original characters who were basically just created to be killed off.**

 **Yoshi is an actual Japanese name that means lucky. No, he had indeed not lived up to his name.**

* * *

 **I think that's everything, for now. Have a good one, eh?**


	3. Chapter 2

**Twisted Bonds: the Ultimate Sin**

 **Arc One: Cutting the Path  
Chapter Two: the Monkey Business of a Fox**

The day after the attack, in the Hokage's office, Mikoto of the Uchiha Clan stood with Hiashi of the Hyuuga, and the Hokage, Hiruzen, waiting for a third arrival. Juushiro wasn't late, mind you—Mikoto had simply arrived rather early, due to lack of sleep, and Hiashi was _always_ early, if he could help it. Thankfully, she didn't need to wait much longer.

Ukitake Juushiro marched into the office with a male member of the Uchiha Clan on each flank. Due to the severe depletion of manpower left in the wake of the now-dubbed Uchiha Massacre, what _was_ left of the Uchiha Military Police Department had to be assimilated by the Civilian Militia This effectively gave the Militia's head, Juushiro, the rather big task of leading the new Department of Local Law Enforcement; thus effectively replacing the now-deceased Fugaku, at least for now.

His first task upon gaining this new-found rank was to investigate the strange happenings in the slum district—or, the Pit, as it now appeared to be known by its inhabitants—as a selection of Konoha's best remaining ANBU cleaned up what was left of the Uchiha Clan Compound. While the Pit was considered to be a separate entity from Hi no Kuni by the Lord of Fire, himself, this status was still fresh. That said, Juushiro still held jurisdiction over the area, until the Fire Lord was confident that the people of Shoki's "territory" could handle themselves.

Sporting long, white hair and pale skin, poor Juushiro always looked to be rather sickly, even when he _was_ in good health. But, his composure and the dead serious look in his coal-colored eyes showed that he was perfectly fine, though bearing news that was not bound to be the good kind. Giving a bow, Juushiro greeted those present. "Hokage-Sama, Mikoto-Sama, Hiashi-Sama," he began, "I'm here to report my team's findings."

"Proceed," the Hokage commanded.

Clearing his throat, the Head of Law Enforcement obliged. "Starting with those sightings of an odd blue flash, we visited the area where it had apparently happened. Upon arriving, my team had discovered a series of large, swirl-shaped scorch marks in the area. With the help of Yashiro, here," Juushiro gestured to a white-haired man to his right, "we were able to determine that the damage was caused by an Enton user."

Using the brief pause to think, Hiruzen was not pleased with the thought that came to mind. "Why would the Desecrater even get involved with that," he asked, seeing as the woman in question was the only known person who could have achieved such a feat.

"That's what had me puzzled," Juushiro admitted, "so, I had another team look into it."

"Just who is this Desecrater?" Mikoto interrupted. She'd heard the name, before, but hadn't been active enough to know who it belonged to in almost a decade. She also wondered what this had to do with the massacre, but knew that they'd get to that, eventually. "And, why would he be the only suspect?"

"Pakura the Desecrater," Hiruzen explained, "is an S-Class criminal from Sunagakure no Sato.

Specifically, _she's_ a rogue Jounin that is wanted for desecration of sacred property, grand larceny, assault, murder, and extortion. She's also a descendant of the Shodaime Kazekage, and the only living person that is known to use Enton."

"The biggest problem with the theory that she's responsible," Yashiro pointed out, "is that the killing methods were completely different from what Pakura typically uses on anyone brave enough to interfere with her goals."

"What kind of methods are we looking at?" Mikoto was still worried. Not that she could be blamed; she had just survived a fight with Itachi! The last thing she needed was another S-class to worry about.

"In short, she uses her hybrid element to flash-cook her enemies into a state of mummification; effectively turning them into human jerky," Yashiro explained, "The remains of the victims we found, however, were completely incinerated. Only a few teeth and bone fragments were left intact. Everything else was either melted or turned to ash. These methods and the sheer demand for Chakra they would have leads us to believe that someone else was behind all this."

"But, isn't this Pakura person the only one who could the element?" the Uchiha Matriarch asked.

Before Yashiro could counter that, the lead investigator spoke up.

"She is the only _living_ Enton user on record," Juushiro stated, "However, there's the possibility that someone else could have harnessed this ability. There are multiple techniques that one could use to resurrect or simply reanimate the dead, which would allow the user access to any hybrid element through the use of a puppet or undead servant. Suna has been known to have developed at least one such technique, as has Konoha."

"Hitokugutsu and Edo Tensei," Hiashi pondered aloud, speaking up once more.

"Indeed," the Hokage agreed.

At this, Mikoto blushed. Those possibilities had slipped her mind. Still, they didn't comfort her in the least. "Does that mean that some kind of puppet master did this?"

To this, another man finally spoke up. His name was Tekka; the third and youngest Uchiha in the room, standing to Juushiro's left. "That is a possibility that we can't rule out, yet, but there are others. We'll need more time to look into it.

We also have reason to believe that the Enton user's victims were the ones who tried to kidnap the Hyuuga and Uchiha Clan heiresses and were intercepted on their way to their base camp. If it was a rogue did do this, then we have yet to figure out what their motives could be. A simple act of charity, after all, doesn't tend to fit the profile of your average fugitive... let alone someone like Pakura."

With a sigh, the younger man among the present Uchiha continued, "we also found the camp… or what was left of it, and it seems to have been attacked by a Youton user."

"How did you come to that conclusion?" The one who interrupted was the Hokage, and he did not seem to be pleased with the thought of a lava-wielder in Konoha, and it was with good reason.

While Youton was one of the most common among the hybrid elements, it was also one that existed only in a small number of nations that were still considered to be potentially hostile towards Konoha, ever since the end of the Third Great War. Specifically, these nations were Kaminari no Kuni, Tsuchi no Kuni, and Mizu no Kuni. Though there was a peace treaty being negotiated with Kumo—the capitol city of Kaminari no Kuni—the recent attempt to kidnap the heiresses of the Uchiha and Hyuuga Clans had understandably compromised that agreement.

To answer the Hokage's question, Juushiro spoke up; gesturing towards the white-haired Uchiha, once more. "Yashiro, here, detected a number of lingering Chakra signatures under the camp. Considering the likelihood of a live burial, we excavated some portions of the ground for investigation. But, what we found were pockets of cooled magma with a total of three unique signatures laced into them. The patterns and quantities of the Chakra imply that two people of Jounin caliber were likely killed by lava based attacks, and that the lava was then buried by the owner of the third signature."

With a tired sigh, Juushiro finished his report. "Other than that, we found more soot and scorch marks, as well as some evidence that arrows may have been used in the assault upon the camp. Because of this, we have reason to believe that the Enton user had later visited the campsite and destroyed anything else that he didn't want being found, including any corpses that had been in the area. We also found no tracks or scent trails. All things considered, we are most likely looking at three culprits or more who seem to have some degree of military training."

"I see," Hiruzen mused aloud, his tone a cryptic one. This did not bode well; not only was Kumo threatening war with Konoha, but now the Hokage was staring down the possibility of a team of intruders—trained intruders with bloodlines and an unknown skill level, at that! His job was _already_ stressful enough with Shoki and the Elder Council causing him so much grief! Hell, even _that_ was just the tip of the iceberg! Was a little slack every now and then _really_ too much to ask?

As if on cue, the intercom buzzed to life, signaling that Hiruzen's secretary had news for him. "Hokage-Sama, Shoki-San is here to see you, again."

Damn it…

Letting out an irritated sigh, the Hokage composed himself and pushed the little red button on his desk. "Let her in."

"Oh, dear," Mikoto muttered. She, like every other member of the Three Councils, had become very familiar with that name, over the years. Each time that unpredictable woman popped up, it was either as a devil or a saint. The Uchiha Matriarch—among others—could only hope that the latter case held true, this time.

Yashiro and Tekka looked on, wary as to why their new clan head seemed to be so worried. While they were familiar with the name, they knew little of Shoki, herself—aside from the rumors that she was a demon or something to that effect. There were even stories floating about that claimed she had the Hokage and Three Councils on a leash, among other things. It was a long shot, but perhaps they'd find out just how true some of those claims were?

While Juushiro and Hiruzen were in the same boat as Mikoto, Hiashi didn't care all that much about intentions, at the moment. Shoki's mischievous shenanigans and political meddling had yet to directly effect the Hyuuga Clan, so, as far as he was concerned, the head of said clan had little _reason_ to care, just yet.

Then again, the woman in question _did_ now own the slum district, and it was common knowledge that the first assault upon the Kumogakure infiltration unit had taken place rather close to her home. Perhaps she had something to do with it?

A dead silence quickly flooded the room, and all within it focused upon the door with a sense of dread, curiosity, or both, depending on the individual. Then, like a bad horror movie cliché, the door eerily creaked open with a familiar, orange-haired woman on the other side. Her arms folded across her chest, as if to imply that the door had opened on its own, she walked in and used her ankle to seal the entrance with a light, subtle kick.

"I would've been here sooner," Shoki said, "but my district had itself a pair of… unexpected visitors. It would seem that the Hyuuga compound's security could still use some patching up, if a six-year-old and an eight-year-old could slip out unnoticed."

Now, Hiashi cared, as did Mikoto. "Where are they," the two demanded in unison.

"Back in your compound," Shoki replied, "as for what the two heiresses were doing in the Pit, of all places… Well, if I had to guess, then I'd say that they had caught a glimpse of their little savior and wanted to thank him."

"So, you know who is behind the attacks," there was no question in the Hokage's tone; he knew it was true.

"Of course; I was the one who sent him and his little team of misfits."

"Why?"

"An act of charity and good will?"

"Bullshit," Hiruzen deadpanned. He knew her better than that.

"You don't have to be so mean to me, old man," Shoki mock-whined. Then, she giggled. As a youko, she just couldn't resist the temptation of a good laugh. After a brief pause, though, the demonic woman's expression became a more serious one. "If you must know, Kumo's alliance with Iwa is still rather strong… stronger, now, actually, because of the Tsuchikage's actions, as of late. They both recognize this village's lingering weakness, so Kumo has agreed to harass your defenses and test you. Also, it's obvious that they have allies on the inside, because the Uchiha Massacre was instigated by them to allow the Raikage the very thing he has wanted for years."

"The Byakugan," Hiashi intoned.

Mikoto, Tekka and Yashiro were especially stricken by the implication. Was the attempted genocide of their clan really just a distraction?!

"What proof do you have of this?" Hiruzen demanded, "and what about the civil war?"

"Wishing that Jiraiya hadn't gone rogue, I take it?" Shoki only smiled at the Hokage's glare. "You have Iwa to thank for the lapse in that little rebellion, for the record. It was because of the reinforcements being sent by Oonoki had forced the Yoktsuki Clan and their allies into hiding."

In hindsight, Hiruzen realized that he should've expected Shoki to bring that alliance up. Oonoki and the Sandaime Raikage were close friends, so what she was saying was most certainly plausible. He'd send a recon unit to do some fact checking, when he was done, here. With a sigh, the aged Hokage spoke again, "I take it you want something?"

"To speak with you about this incident without Juushiro and his lackeys present," the orange-haired woman replied, her tone a cryptic one.

"HEY!" The undignified retort came from Tekka.

"Very well," Hiruzen said, "Juushiro, Yashiro, Tekka. The three of you are dismissed."

"Yes, Hokage-sama," Juushiro said. As the new Head of Law Enforcement obediently took his leave, Yashiro and Tekka followed—the latter grumbling to himself about smart-mouthed women with orange hair.

Once the three members of Juushiro's main team were gone, Hiashi and Mikoto looked on as Hiruzen spoke.

"So, what's this about, besides the obvious?"

"Very perceptive, old man," Shoki admitted, "as I've already explained, Iwa and Kumo are behind this whole fiasco with the heiresses of the Uchiha and Hyuuga Clans, but I'm sure you'd like to know where I got this information."

Now, _that_ was unusual... especially for her. Was she up to something?

"Indeed," the Hokage said with a slow nod, "I found it odd that there were no survivors."

"There were no survivors _found_ ," Shoki corrected. With a smirk, she elaborated. "I was only interested in the Captain; the Co-Captains and their squad mates were of no concern to me."

"In other words, _you_ have him," Hiashi spoke up.

Meanwhile, Mikoto thought, 'w _hy do I feel like something bad's going to happen?'_

"Yes, I do," Shoki said, "Gashira-kun is a bit roughed up, mind you, but he's alive."

"Gashira," Hiashi asked, "you mean the envoy?"

"Yes, he was the one who lead the whole operation." Shoki then turned her attention back to the Hokage. "What I want is a trade in custody; a prisoner of yours in exchange for a prisoner of mine. I'll even point you in the direction of the rebel faction's leader, as a bonus."

Hiruzen thought it over. If she was offering this much, then it was obvious that the Kyuubi wanted someone that he'd be reluctant to give her. If the claims of the prison guards were true, then the Hokage needed to weigh his options more carefully now than he did in years.

On one hand, the woman that came to mind was a dangerous, unknown element. No one knew to this day how she had killed so many people and destroyed all of her cartel's records in less than half an hour. While it was confirmed that she had a wind affinity, there just _had_ to be more to it than that!

On the other hand, Gashira and his team were missing, and while Shoki rarely told the whole truth, she had yet to actually lie to him—much to his surprise. Then again, she didn't need to; if Shoki didn't want to reveal a secret, she hid it and simply wouldn't tell. If she wanted something, then she would get it through extortion or an honest trade—not an empty bargain. That said, Hiruzen was looking at a chance to neutralize one hostile village and get the other to back off, for now. With the way his village was, the Hokage needed all the help he could get.

"What would you get out of stopping this alliance from attacking us?" Hiashi demanded, "Your so-called Pit has been declared a separate entity, by order of the Lord of Fire."

"Do I honestly have to tell you," Shoki chided. Considering the demon's track record and reputed contempt towards the village, it came as no surprise to her that a clan head would be wary of her assistance. But, that was no excuse for a lack of common sense. "While it is true that the Pit is no longer considered to be part of Hi no Kuni, it still resides within the walls of Konoha. Anyone who threatens the village threatens the Pit, because of that, alone." Returning her attention to the Hokage, she asked, "so, what's it going to be?"

Considering what had been revealed about the demonic woman's intentions, Hiruzen knew that there was a possibility to negotiate something less risky on his side of the bargain. But, knowing her, it was not worth the risk, and she'd likely get what she wanted through other means, anyway. With a sigh, he asked to confirm his suspicions, "who do you want, specifically?"

Shoki giggled in amusement, before she gave her answer. It would seem that the old monkey was learning rather well.

"The woman I want is Semimaru Reiko."

* * *

 **Took out the scene with Mikoto and her Uchiha Massacre flashbacks to cut to the chase. This may have been a bad call, in hindsight, but this chapter and those after it have not yet been edited. That said, I have plenty of time to think about it, while posting what I've written thus far in the meantime. Once my fiancee's done editing them, I will repost these chapters.**

* * *

 **Trivia:**

 **Gashira, in canon is literally called Shinobi Gashira on his profile. In other words, Masashi Kishimoto apparently didn't give enough of a shit about his character to legitimately name him... then again, neither do I. That said, Gashira's basically being treated as the guy's name in this fic.**

 **Pakura originally had no background other than she was from Suna and died at some point before her introduction as what was basically a ninja zombie in canon. That said, I decided to give her one. If you wanna use this idea of mine in your fanfiction, just ask and link me to it. I'd love to see what other writers would do with such a character. :)**

 **Ukitake Juushiro's a Bleach character, and is thus owned by Tite Kubo—not me.**

 **Shakuton, or Scorch Release, has been relabeled Enton, or Blaze Release, in this fanfic. That said, Enton is no longer the special snowflake Sharingan hybrid element that is was in canon, for those who know what I'm talking about, because fuck Sasuke-Sue with a chainsaw! That shit will not exist, here, and this change will be a reoccurring theme in all of my Naruto fanfiction. You have been warned.**

 **Finally, all hybrid elements are _typically_ a bloodline trait unique to descendants of a specific clan, as they originally were. Any and all retcons that may have been made, in that regard, do not apply, here. However, it is worth noting that those clans had to acquire such traits, somehow.**


	4. Chapter 3

**Twisted Bonds: the Ultimate Sin**

 **Arc One: Cutting the Path  
Chapter Three: Making Friends in Low Places**

In the slums, Shoki was on the lookout for another potential friend: one Mitarashi Anko—the former apprentice of the now-infamous Orochimaru, and a living example of just how easily guilt by association can be quite-easily harmful to the innocent.

Though, to be fair, "innocent" really was an unfitting term for such a wild chic... But, that, in itself, didn't mean she had done anything to justify such an extreme level of stigmatization, now did it?

The poor kid was now unable to buy... well damn-near anything for the local shops. She was evicted from her previous—rather nice—apartment. Finally, as the last nail in her proverbial coffin, no one was doing business with her. That said, she couldn't do any missions, as her rank and level of experience forbade her from doing anything higher than a D-Rank job without a team by law, on the grounds that is was considered to be too dangerous; thus resulting in a complete lack of income.

That wasn't even including the more... extreme cases of mistreatment she had to endure.

All of this, and her only crime was being assigned to a teacher who would later betray the village... a teacher who would later be revealed to have been the world's equivalent of Victor Frankenstein. Granted, there were more than a few old people who would list Anko's attire and mischievous antics as offenses, but they justified precisely jack shit, in regards to the _whole damn village's_ treatment of a fourteen-year-old girl... and an _orphan_ , to boot!

With her litter in tow, Shoki derailed her thought and stopped before a shitty, little apartment complex at the very edge of her new-found territory. 'Twas laughably small; rocking only one story and maybe a dozen rooms, from the look of it. The paint was peeling off, the pavement was cracked, the grass was brown, and the whole damn thing looked like the kinda hellhole one would likely picture many a daughter getting knocked up in at the age of twelve by that kid in the leather jacket.

Ah, stereotypes... Sometimes, I legitimately wish a few of them held true, but alas, my childhood was actually quite boring... Where was I?

Oh, right... the literally foxy chic and her pair of munchkins... Yeah, they stared at the complex for just a moment, before heading on up to seek out this Mitarashi woman. According to Shoki's sources, Anko should be home, around this time—in room nine, specifically.

Quickly finding the room she was looking for, Shoki was just about to knock, when she felt a tug on her kimono. She looked down to see Nariko's big, blue eyes looking up at her, and couldn't help but want to pinch the brat's whisker-marked cheeks. "There's nothing to worry about," Shoki said, expertly resisting that urge, "She's harmless."

"That depends on who the fuck you are and why you're here!"

That notably-feminine shout came from the other side of the door, prompting the twins to flinch. Shoki let our a loud sigh, having come to expect such a response from the young woman's background and situation. "I'm sure you've heard of me," the vixen declared facetiously, "I'm here to make you an offer... again."

There was a long pause and not a sound for several moments. Then, several clicks could be heard, as well as the rattling of chains and the sound of large pieces of metal—most likely steel bars—shifting about. Once that all had quieted down, the door creaked open, but only an inch, as a young white chic with purple hair and honey-colored eyes peeked through the crack. She was also quite notably surprised to see that Shoki had brought those brats that no one could shut up about.

Then again, the haters were getting increasingly bold, as the ginger gained more and more influence, if the mob from last night was anything to go by. A lot of people were understandably displeased to hear rumors that Shoki was going to release Genocide Reiko, so a bit of paranoia was probably to be expected.

"What kind of offer?" Anko couldn't help but be curious, despite her mistrust; though, desperation was another factor. But, seriously, why was this demon chic so damn persistent? What could she possibly want with the Traitor's Apprentice?

But then, Shoki smiled at her warmly, and something about the gleam in said demon's eye told Anko that it was going to be a long day.

* * *

Kamizuki Izumo and Hagane Kotetsu both let out a long, exasperated sigh in nigh-eerie unison. They seriously didn't want to be here any more than Yashiro or Tekka would have, but, Juushiro had to bring _someone_ he trusted, damn it, and his usual company would have likely tried to kill the woman that he was here to see.

"Stop that, you two," the white-haired man commanded with a sigh of his own. "I don't want to be here, either." He then said just as much to himself as he did to the Chuunin duo, "but, orders are orders. Now, let's get this over with..."

Then, as if on cue, the drawbridge to Detention Center 13 dropped with a loud crash, allowing the three men and their ANBU escort to cross over to the awaiting gate.

* * *

Juushiro and his entourage traversed the many flights of stairs on down to the third basement level, where the highest-profile criminals were kept; people who were never meant to leave. Now, with several prison guards joining the party, Juushiro had more protection, but retained the same amount of confidence in his physical safety: none, whatsoever.

This feeling was only reinforced, when he finally approached the woman's cell.

Semimaru Reiko stood eerily and expectantly in the exact center of her cell, as if she had been waiting for them. The question was: how the _fuck_? Had she been informed of their appointment? If so, who told her?!

It couldn't have been Shoki, could it? She hadn't been here since the meeting that she'd interrupted.

Reiko giggled a bit too cheerfully and greeted the new Chief of Police. "Long time no see, Juushiro-Kun."

It had been a while, indeed. He remembered that night vividly. The smell of burning flesh, the screams of horror, and a blood-soaked Reiko waiting patiently for him and his team to arrest her without resistance.

One hundred and thirty-two people died that night. Four of them had committed suicide; the others had all been slaughtered by the teen.

This discovery would haunt the man for years to come and he knew it.

Apparently, so did the woman. "So you _do_ remember me," she remarked a bit too happily, having seen the glint in Juushiro's eyes, "I'm so flattered."

"That's enough," he replied. "We're not here to talk."

That shut her up, immediately—even if only for a second. Reiko blinked owlishly, surprised by the man's stern response, to say the least.

The other whitehead let out a sigh of relief relief. Then, he nodded to the Chuunin with him, before Reiko had the chance to say anything.

"Keep away from the cell door and don't try anything funny," Kotetsu said.

"On your knees," Izumo added, producing a pair of shackles from a pouch on his belt, "hands behind your head."

"Charming," Reiko commented sarcastically, her hackles raised. "Care to share where you're taking me?"

"If you cooperate," Juushiro replied, "'away from here."

The woman's scowl deepened, and her eyes narrowed. She didn't trust the man as far as the could throw him, but, if he was telling the truth, then Reiko apparently had a ginger to kiss. With that possibility in mind, she regained her composure and gave a charming nod.

Relieved by the woman's cooperation, Juushiro unlocked her cell.

* * *

Speaking of kissable gingers, Shoki stood in front of her den, awaiting the Hokage and his entourage, so they could make the exchange. By her side were her kits, and a one-eyed bald man of biracial decent with dark skin, brown eyes, and a thin, dark goatee.

This man was the "Gashira" she'd mentioned a few days ago, and he looked like shit. Battered, singed, bruised, scarred, and still-somewhat-freshly missing an arm, a leg... and a testicle, the hapless, little fucker sat bound and gagged with a bag over his head, awaiting his fate.

It didn't take long for Hiruzen to arrive. In his company were Juushiro, Kotetsu, Izumo, a woman with a bag over her head, and a large, battle-scarred man in a trench coat. The woman's identity was obvious, as Shoki made it very clear, from the start, that she would tolerate nothing short of Hiruzen's full cooperation.

The man, however, was Morino Ibiki of the Shinobi Council, Head of Central Intelligence, as well as the Torture and Interrogation Department, and his appearance was just about as intimidating as one would expect from a man of that station. His square face was gnarled from his many experiences and his brown eyes had the gaze of a dead fish, indicating that he'd seen some shit. His mangled, hairless scalp was wrapped in a black bandanna, and not a hint of skin was shown, from the neck down by his black and dark gray garb.

Truly, this large man was quite the sight to behold.

Shoki smiled and pulled the bag off her prisoner's head to reveal that he looked even shittier than he'd first appeared to... and that was saying something. Not only was one ear now missing, but his face had been repeatedly branded and lacerated—before the wounds had been cauterized and disinfected—while his upper lip had been stretched and sewn to his left eyebrow. This man had not been in the most hospitable of company, to say the least...

"My apologies..." the vixen bowed politely, "but, as you can see, poor Gashira-Kun cannot walk." She then giggled impishly. "He was a tough nut to crack," she explained, tossing the bag aside, "and, in my efforts to make him sing, I found myself feeling a bit... overzealous."

"It's a shame you and the village don't get along," Ibiki commented, admiring the woman's handiwork, "I like your style."

Shoki giggled, again. "If ever he's feeling disinclined to share with you what he shared with me..."

"I appreciate the offer, Shoki-San," Ibiki gave a a hearty chuckle, as he politely declined, "but I'm not one who likes being out-performed."

Shoki nodded. "Fair enough." Then, she turned her attention to the Hokage, tossing him a small scroll that he effortlessly caught. "The man you seek is named Yotsuki Temujin IV, by the way. He's hiding out in Shimo no Kuni, and was the first person to oppose the invasion of Uzushio. If you honestly seek redemption, old man, start there."

Hiruzen scowled at the obvious guilt trip. One didn't need an expertise in human psychology to know what the Kyuubi was trying to achieve with that last comment, but he nodded politely, nonetheless. "Thank you, Shoki-San."

Shoki smiled, before stepping forward, speaking politely, as she was finding herself in quite the good mood, at the moment. "You fetch yours, I fetch mine, and we both go on our merry ways. Fair enough?"

"Fair enough," Hiruzen echoed. Then, he turned to Juushiro and nodded.

Juushiro scowled, but nodded back, lifting the bag off Reiko's head and tossing the keys to her shackles towards Shoki.

The vixen stepped forward and snatched the keys out of the air, and approached the bound woman before her.

Ibiki, meanwhile, came forth and crabbed Gashira by the collar of his shirt. Taking a close look to double-check, just to be sure that is was him, the larger man then leered at his captor with a sadistic grin, saying, "you and I are going to have some fun, tonight." Then, with that, Ibiki turned on his heel and was off, plopping Gashira on the ground with an undignified thud and dragging him behind, all the way to T&I.

"What are you doing," the Hokage demanded.

"Tenderizing him," Ibiki replied, "makes it easier to spill his guts."

Hiruzen groaned in frustration. He did _not_ look forward to the awkward questions that was bound to raise, in the morning...

Shoki, however, couldn't help but giggle at the councilman's enthusiasm. It was such a rare trait, these days. But, she had more important things to focus on, at the moment, so she redirected her attention to Reiko.

The woman in question was visibly surprised to be here. Her long, snowy locks were put up in a bun, so they wouldn't hang out from under the bag—thus making it less likely that someone with a grudge would be able to identify her on her way to the Pit. She was visibly shorter than Shoki had expected and, in the moonlight, vixen also got a better look at the young woman's physical appearance.

Reiko had become notably thin during her time in prison, and looked almost sickly. Her cheekbones were poking out, there were bags under... there was a bag under her eye, and she was rather pale.

"My, my..." Shoki commented. "Someone needs to get a bit more meat on her bones."

"I'll admit I'm a bit hungry," Reiko chuckled, as the vixen undid her shackles. "I'm glad to see you again."

"Likewise," Shoki replied with a grin.

With that, the ginger took her newest associate's hand and led her to the waiting brats. But, before she left, she turned to the Hokage and smiled. "Pleasure doing business with you, old man," she said, though her tone was more respectful than one would expect with such wording. Then, she and her company faded away, disappearing from sight.

Hiruzen sighed, before turning to Juushiro, Kotetsu, and Izumo. "Let us be on our way, then."

"Hokage-Sama," Juushiro asked, "What do we do about the villagers? There's bound to be a riot, when people catch wind about this."

"Suppress the information for as long as possible," Hiruzen ordered. "I'll see to it that your department will be working together with ANBU and Central Intelligence to suppress anyone who tries to stir anything up. Understood?"

Juushiro nodded. He was _not_ liking where this was going, but he understood the situation.

* * *

Many days later, Naruto and Nariko giggled and frolicked about, not a care in the world, as they practiced using their mother's gifts. Naruto incinerated the straw dummies with balls of blue fire, while Nariko skipped along the pools of lava she'd conjured.

Reiko and Anko were amazed by what these brats were capable of. Even the former drug lord could tell that Naruto and Nariko were incredibly advanced for their age. Hell, Naruto was even capable of using a crude flight technique, while Nariko was burrowing deep into the ground like it was child's play... which it kinda was, at the moment.

Meanwhile, Shoki's face was twisted into a pained smile, knowing that her time was drawing short, while enjoying the laughter and infectious cheer. More and more, she was dreading the day that she would have to leave, as she had become quite attached to her litter over the years. She then turned to the purple haired woman to her left, as Reiko sat to the vixen's right.

"I'm going to need you, Anko," Shoki said, "to teach them how to use their Katon affinities more effectively, as well as Nariko's Doton." Shoki then turned to Reiko. "You're more skilled in the use of wind techniques, though," she then turned back to Anko. "No offense."

Anko shrugged. None was taken, as the former apprentice knew her limits.

Readdressing Reiko, Shoki continued, "that said, I'm going to need you to help Naruto master his Fuuton affinity."

Reiko raised an eyebrow at the demands. "Any reason I can't teach Nariko how to unlock a Fuuton affinity?"

Shoki addressed the one-eyed woman with a question of her own. "Tell me, have you ever heard of the Sharingan?"

"Those crazy eyes that allow the Uchiha to copy techniques?" Reiko tilted her head quizzically, "what about them?"

"Among other things, yes," the fox confirmed. "Have you ever wondered how an Uchiha who's never touched, say, a water technique can still copy and use one, perfectly?"

Anko hummed in thought. "That _is_ a good question. But, what does it have to do with them?" She gestured to the twins who had just started a wrestling match.

Nariko was winning.

"I'm getting to that." Shoki gave Anko a flat look. "Contrary to popular belief, people are generally born with five affinities—one for each element. However, only one is usually active at the time... in rare cases, two or three, though no one's ever been born with more than that. The rest are dormant. The problem with hybrid affinities like Youton and Enton, however, is that they come at a price."

A light bulb turned on in plum head's noggin with an audible click that Reiko _swore_ she'd heard.

"Their dormant affinities," Anko said, quickly connecting the dots.

"Indeed," Reiko confirmed with a nod, "Naruto, for example, will never be able to use earth, water, or lightning techniques, in exchange for his Enton, and Nariko's in a similar position with Youton." She'd explained that purely for Reiko's benefit, as Anko's rank had left the plum head with a more intimate knowledge of such subjects. "Any offspring they may have will not inherit these talents, though. I made sure of that for... political reasons."

Anko winced. She knew damn well that if the Councils found out this wasn't the case, they'd look for ways to turn the poor kids into breeding stock, in a heartbeat. "Noted. I'll do what I can."

"As will I," Reiko said. Then, her voice turned to a whisper, hoping not to tip the twins off, "so, how long do you have?"

"Until October 10th," Shoki answered, "their ninth birthday." Then, she smile at the white-haired teen. "While I appreciate the courtesy, I've already informed them. I just want to enjoy what time I have left."

Reiko nodded, understanding perfectly.. from experience, one might add.

Anko sighed. "So, why _do_ you have to leave?"

Shoki gave her a look. Then, for the first time, since vacating the Yondaime's Seal, the demonic vixen took on the form she'd appeared in; her vulpine ears and tails returning, once more. What was different, however, was that only two tails remained.

"Not long after being released," Shoki explained, "I told the Hiruzen that because he left Naruto and Nariko without a mother, I was able to escape, by agreeing to fill that slot. To this day, the councils think I was lying, because Naruto and Nariko were simply too young to have understood such an agreement. Also, since my soul was sealed into Naruto, I would not have been able to communicate with Nariko, thus making such an escape impossible, given the circumstances." The vixen then shrugged. "Clearly, they missed a very important detail: I never told them that I had made this agreement the twins."

That piqued the interest of the other two women.

"The God of Death made the terms very clear," Shoki continued, "The gods have plans for those two. So, Naruto and Nariko started absorbing one of my tails, splitting the power within amongst themselves, every year—starting on their first birthday.

I've also been slowly converting their genes, effectively turning them into artificial half-demons, to ensure that their bodies can handle this power and absorb it naturally. Once they absorb the eighth tail, Shinigami will come to... 'collect' me, until such a time that I've fully recovered from having this power stripped.

Apparently the Gods are worried about some... 'Akatsuki' organization. They want to make sure these people can't take advantage of my weakened state and somehow use my power to revive my mother, though I don't see how achieving such a feat is even possible." Shoki paused for a moment, a troubled look marring her features.

That last part left Reiko and Anko immeasurably curious. Who _was_ this Akatsuki organization? Who was Shoki's mother? Why would the Gods worry so much about her being revived? These were questions that absolutely _begged_ for answers!

"In the meantime," Shoki finished with a heavy sigh, "I'm to ensure that they have the skills need to fend for themselves... and, to ensure that they're in good hands when I leave, so as to prevent my mother's rebirth."

Reiko sighed, as well, speaking in a somber tone, "so, how long will it take you to recover?"

"Two years for each tail they've absorbed."

Anko stared at Shoki for a bit, before the dampening mood got to the teen, prompting a change of subject. "So... who _is_ this mother of yours?"

Reverting to the human form she'd grown accustomed to, Shoki frowned at the question. She knew that was coming, and that she had to bring it up, eventually, but that didn't mean the vixen liked to talk about it.

"You might want to sit down," she advised, "it's a long story..."

* * *

 **To those familiar with Kaguya and how badly her introduction to the series fucked up all that made sense in the universe, there is no need to have a heart attack. If she even pops up, it is to be assumed in all of my fanfiction that she has been heavily revamped, and that the Sage of Six Paths was not her son. If you don't know what I'm talking about, then I apologize for the confusion.**

* * *

 **Trivia:**

 **Anko's birthday is the 24th of October. She was also 24 at the time of her canon debut.**

 **Reiko standing eerily in the middle of her cell was inspired by Hannibal Lecter from Silence of the Lambs. The movie is the property of Strong Heart/Demme Production and Orion Pictures, while the novel is the property of Thomas Harris—neither of whom are associated with me in any way, shape or form. All credit goes to them for this source of inspiration.**


	5. Chapter 4

**Warning: lemons on the plate!**

* * *

 **Twisted Bonds: the Ultimate Sin**

 **Arc Two: the Genin Exams  
Chapter One: Enter the Twins**

Nine Years...

It had been just a bit more than nine years since Reiko's release, and news of that hadn't been taken well by the village, when it finally got out. Riots were started, properties were torched, stores were looted by bottom-feeding trash, petitions were signed, people went insane, many died, and many others screamed their heads off, as they comically ran about in circles.

In the middle of all this, Semimaru Reiko, the newest scourge of Konoha, newly-appointed Lady of the Pit, former drug lord, bane of the Hokage's existence... did precisely jack, diddly, motherfucking shit.

Seriously, she just sat there, minding her own business, protecting her turf, when needed—with the help of ANBU—and generally acted the part of a good, model citizen for all the children to look up to... and, that fucking _scared_ people. It horrified them; shook them to their cores, and worried them, far more than anything she _possibly_ could've done done ever would have.

But, the masses were idiots; they did not concern her. What did concern her was the safety of her newly-adopted munchkins—most _obviously_ Semimaru-Uzumaki Naruto and Semimaru-Uzumaki Nariko. It wasn't easy, even without so damn much of Konoha's population needing to be brutally cowed into submission... But, with the help of Anko, among others, she did her damnedest, and sincerely hoped that was what mattered, in the end—especially, when she considered various... complications that had popped up along the way.

* * *

Semimaru-UzumakiNariko lingered in the doorway for a moment, admiring her brother's sleeping form. He was just so damn _cute_ when he wasn't all tense! Well, that was her opinion, at least. For most people, though, Naruto always managed to come off as... well, creepy—not that his sister could really blame them for feeling that way. He _did_ give off an intimidating aura, after all. But, to be fair, when one considered how many people wanted them dead—especially in their younger years—Naruto and Nariko needed to learn how to "get them bitches acquainted with their places" in order to survive.

Giggling impishly to herself, Nariko reflected upon her relationship with Naruto, and how their suffering had only brought them closer... more so than most would find appropriate. But, those were thoughts for another time, as they needed to get ready for the Genin Exams. With that thought in mind, Nariko giggled again, as she sauntered on up to her brother with a seductive smile and gingerly crawled up to him.

Looming over her brother, as she stared down, her grin widened. Nariko then licked her brother's cheek. The whisker marks were a particularly-sensitive spot; and erogenous weakness shared by both twins. On top of that, Nariko's rough tongue only intensified the pleasurable sensation.

Naruto groaned both groggily and pleasurably, his icy, blue eyes fluttering open with a strange warmth to them. Nariko's grin widened, as she noticed her brother's... other sign of approval.

"Tempting," she whispered with yet another impish chortle, "but if we get started with _that_ , now, we might be late, and I'm in no mood to be bitched at... again." Nariko then giggled, leaned down, and gave Naruto a quick peck on the forehead. "But, once we're in the clear, you have yourself a promise to keep, mister!"

Naruto replied with a blush and a mildly-disappointed sigh, "fine, fine..."

Nariko snorted cutely, and licked her twin's cheek, "oh, don't be like that!" She mock-pouted, "you'll have your fun, soon enough, Onii-Chan!"

With that, and the umpteenth giggle, Nariko skillfully flipped and rolled off of the bed in an over-flashy show of flexibility. Then, she gave her brother's little tent a lewd grin, and sauntered off to the bathroom with quite the sway to her hips, leaving her hot and bothered brother wondering how she always managed to effect him like that so easily.

Naruto then shrugged and banished his thoughts, trying to quell his desire, before getting up.

 _'Why does she insist on doing that,'_ the young man thought to himself, _'if she keeps this up, she'll give me blue balls...'_

* * *

Later on, that morning, a spectacular vortex of blue rose petals appeared to materialize out of nowhere, dancing about, in the middle of the Konohagakure no Sato Ninja Academy's courtyard. A pair of young blonds then appeared suddenly, in the eye of the storm. The younger twin was in her brother's arms, as the elder hugged her close.

The boy was garbed a long, black, hooded coat decorated with white fur and orange flame patterns. Under that, he wore an orange tee with the tails hanging out and black cargo pants, tucked into black, white and orange steel-toe boots with straps. His cold, slit eyes were hidden behind a pair of black and orange sunglasses—a gift from a former crush—and his wild, black and gold locks hung freely, though well-groomed; framing his face quite well. Finishing the look was a pair of orange gloves.

The girl was garbed more... chaotically; though some would say, "more _honestly_."

Upon her back was a black, leather jacket over an orange, v-neck blouse and fishnet. The blouse was several sizes too big, and was partially tucked into a black, pleated skirt. Underneath that, she wore a pair of black micro-shorts over some fishnet leggings with garters. Upon her feet were a pair of mismatched, black, white, and orange cleats with equally-matching socks. The right sleeve of her jacket was decorated with an orange flame design, white gloves adorned her hands, and her hair was twice as wild as her brother's.

The vibrant tresses shone with a gleam and bright golden hue that her brother's duller, more pale blond locks had simply lacked. They were also twice as long; reaching to just between her shoulder blades, with shorter bangs. The top half were arranged, if you could call it that, into a pair of lopsided pigtails that vaguely resembled a tilted scale, while the length hung freely behind her back. Finally, the girl's bangs reached just past her chin, partially covering her eyes.

In short, Semimaru-Uzumaki Nariko looked precisely like the street urchin she was—having tossed on most of the few clean clothes she currently owned—and didn't give a shit.

One thing that both of the Semimaru-Uzumaki Twins shared in their attire was the Kanji for enigma on the backs of their jackets—written in black, upon an orange circle.

Only when Naruto was sure that there were no immediate threats in the area did he release his sister from his possessive embrace.

Meanwhile, seemingly unbeknownst to the twins, a shy giggle could be heard, as a girl with eggplant-colored hair, and extremely pale, lavender eyes—that quite frankly made her _look_ blind—peeked out from behind a large tree to ogle her crush. This girl was dressed in simple, black shoes, purple leggings, and a large, beige coat that she shyly used to avoid... unwanted attention that she'd otherwise receive from one-too-many of her male classmates.

Her soft, purple locks reached down to the small of her back, with short, straight bangs clipped just above her eyebrows. The envy of every girl in school—and even some of her teachers—these silky locks had a vibrant, halo-like shine that went unrivaled by damn-near _anyone_ in her age group, serving as the most outstanding feature she had and cared to show.

This girl was Hyuuga Hinata, and she couldn't just help herself. Having ducked out of sight the moment she saw the petals, the heiress kept leering with a well-veiled, lecherous glint in her nearly-white eyes, as she used her family's talent to look through Naruto's clothes and get a good look at dat ass.

Her father would _kill_ her, if he knew how corrupt she'd become! Well... either that, or he'd have a fucking heart-attack outta pure shock. It was hard to tell, but she'd rather avoid such things, regardless.

Unfortunately, that only added to the... _slightly_ guilty pleasure the young Hyuuga got from stalking and fantasizing about a certain blond. While she was well aware of the rumors as to why the twins had been held back two years, Hinata was still grateful to have them... well, Naruto, at least, in her class.

Then, suddenly, a feminine voice whispered impishly behind the young Hyuuga. "Oh, stop abusing your Byakugan," Shizuka teased, "you'll stain your leggings!"

Oddly enough, the good-natured barb didn't get the response that most who knew Hinata would have expected.

"You're just jealous, because you can't see through his pants," the younger heiress shot back with a blush and naughty smirk—such was the level of comfort she had when Shizuka was around.

Both girls shared a hearty laugh, and a friendly hug.

The newcomer—like Hinata—was dressed quite simply, despite her noble heritage. She wore a short-sleeved, white gi, tucked into black wrap-around skirt—both held in place with a red obi. Upon her feet were black, thigh-high tabi and simple, wicker zouri, and she wore black, fingerless, silken gloves that reached up to her biceps. Her well-groomed, though bristly, black locks had an odd look to them; somehow, more resembling feathers than resses.

Uchiha Shizuka's usually-cold, coal colored eyes had an uncommon warmth to them, as she addressed her one and only friend. "How've you been?"

"Stressed," was Hinata's reply, "with the finals coming up, I couldn't help but be nervous."

"I can't say I blame you," Shizuka, sighed, giving her best friend a pat on the shoulder. "Just do your best! I like having you around; can't have you falling behind, eh?"

Hinata nodded and replied, "the feeling's mutual." Looking to see the Uzumaki Twins entering the main building, the younger heiress turned to Shizuka and asked, "they seem so close. Do you think either of us really stands a chance?"

Shizuka scoffed, crossing her arms in arrogant defiance, "of course _I_ do; I'll snatch him from that amoral hussy before she even knows what happened!" It didn't take an expert to tell that the Uchiha heiress was saying that more to herself than anyone. She wasn't one to easily accept defeat, let alone to such a low-life as Nariko.

She didn't hold anything against Nariko, personally, but Shizuka was a prideful woman. She didn't like losing, though, in this case, she wouldn't mind as much if Hinata got him. At least, then, Shizuka could take pride in being the reason they ended up together, as their rivalry was what helped Hinata poke her head out of that damn shell of hers... even if not often. On top of that, the Hyuuga in question was an heiress, so, if nothing else, the man Shizuka had come to want would at least end up with a good woman.

But, Nariko was about as far from ideal, in Shizuka's eyes, as one could get. First off, she was his _sister_! That, _alone_ , said enough! On top of that, she was a well-known trouble-maker, a horrible lecher, and a rumored drug-addict! There was no way in hell she could _possibly_ be a good suitor for him, even if they _weren't_ twins! Again, Shizuka had no grudges against Nariko, but it wasn't like the blonde made it hard for... well, _anyone_ to demonize her, and the raven-haired woman couldn't help but use that as an excuse to justify taking Naruto away from her.

Hinata, on the other hand, was far more reserved, when it came to her feelings about the twins' relationship. Sure, she still didn't agree, but, at the same time, they looked so happy, which made her feel conflicted. On one hand, Hinata envied their relationship, and felt that it couldn't possibly be healthy for them. On the other, she couldn't help but feel guilty for doing so. "Not if I get him first," she teased with a heavy blush, then she grinned, thinking to herself, _'though, if you ask nicely, I might share.'_

"Good luck with that," Shizuka fired back with a condescending, though still somehow friendly tone.

* * *

Umino Iruka warily eyeballed the golden-haired twins, as the walked in. He didn't like them, though, to be fair, that was mostly because of their mischievous and perverted ways tending to give him a fucking headache. Seriously, if they'd put so much as _half_ that effort into their studies... on second thought, that notion frightened the young instructor far more than any amount of paperwork they could ever possibly make him suffer through. They were scary enough, already, damn it! Derailing that train of thought, Iruka looked to his left, eyeballing the woman leaning against the blackboard.

Her name was Inuzuka Tsume, and the one-eared, eye-patch-bearing, black wolf lying at her feet was Kuromaru—her loyal companion.

The woman in question was the Head of the Inuzuka Clan, and always seemed cranky, but Iruka suspected that the reason for that was because she'd been stuck here ever since one of the academy instructors suddenly... disappeared. No joke; he just vanished one day, without a trace... like, poof, and he was gone! Even ANBU and T&I were involved in the investigation, now, because no one could figure out what the fuck could have _possibly_ happened to the guy!

Needless to say, this left many staff members feeling ill-at-ease. But, there was nothing that could be done about it... for now, at least.

That didn't stop Tsume's bellyaching, though; she was a Jounin, damn it! Surely, they had other people to give this dull-ass job to, right? After being promoted, she shouldn't have had to worry about being assigned to shit like this! But, apparently, she was "needed" and couldn't figure out why.

It wasn't like there was any trace of the guy to be found, after all. Hell, even _she_ couldn't find anything, and Tsume was the best damn tracker in the _nation_! That should have been the end of it. But, here she was, and here she would stay, despite her reluctance... and repeated explanations as to why having her in the same room as Nariko was a bad idea. It was like someone was _trying_ to get the two of 'em to duke it out!

She sighed and thought to herself, _'oh, well... it could be worse. At least the brats ain't gonna be in heat for the next two days or so... I just can't deal with that shit, again!'_

Tsume blushed and shook those thoughts from her mind. The last thing she needed was for her to let her feral side try and think for her. She just had to be calm and hope to whatever gods would listen that Nariko didn't push her too far.

* * *

 **Meanwhile...**

* * *

In the slums Konoha, Hyuuga Hiashi and Uchiha Mikoto approached the edge of the infamous territory known simply as the Pit. In their company were Ukitake Juushiro, a police escort, a Hyuuga Branch Family troop, and, in the shadows, a full ANBU unit followed them closely. Hiashi and Mikoto knew that all of this was unnecessary; the people they sought to meet with were allies. But, considering that the Pit was rumored to be the stomping grounds of an infamous yakuza group, the Hokage was not willing to take any chances... oh, if only he knew.

Moving on, the two clan heads remained calm, as did the Branch Family members, but the police escort and ANBU couldn't help but feel that they were being watched, despite no one being in sight... which only worried them even more. Then, three women came into sight, practically fading into existence before the group's very eyes.

The first was the infamous Semimaru Reiko. Her one, remaining crimson eye was still just as piercing, as ever, and the former drug lord carried herself with the same confidence that she'd had for more than a decade and a half. Her white hair and, especially, her chocolate skin tone made her stand out among those present, as the latter was a not common trait, around these parts. Finally, her many, many tattoos served as a permanent reminder of her... less-than-favorable ties.

Then next was a woman dressed as a classic geisha in an elaborate red kimono; complete with white makeup, red lipstick, and elaborate, raven hair. Her parasol twirled idly over her shoulder, as she followed Reiko loyally as she ever had for several years, now. This woman was Setsuka—better known as the Phantom Blade.

As much as Juushiro hated to admit it, she had been expected, as was Reiko. The latter, after all, was the reason why the clan heads and their entourage were even here.

The third woman, however, was about as far from expected as one could get...

This one, in particular was a busty brunette with a missing arm, and several missing screws—not loose... oh, no... but, rather, completely fucking _missing_! Her messy, raven locks were haphazardly wrapped in an equally-messy, while cloth. Her titanic rack was barely contained by a flimsy-looking, red and white halter top with a black swirl on it. With that, she wore a long, but flimsy skirt, held up with a black sash, and a white, high-collar cloak that added to her intimidating—albeit disheveled—appearance, as her simple, wooden geta finished off her look.

This chic, like the other two, was a woman that Juushiro knew all too well.

"Shiba Kuukaku," the white-haired man called out, "when the hell did you get out of prison?!"

Kuukaku's glare made it clear that she was not a fan of this man's presence, as she shot back, "when I fucked your mother!"

Juushiro looked as though he was about to retort, when Reiko stepped in.

"Now, now, you two," she interrupted, seeking to nip this in the bud, as she got their attention with a stern tone and a clap of her hands. "you can act like an old, married couple on your own time. We have more important matters to attend to than your... relationship."

Juushiro groaned, as Kuukaku averted her gaze with a spiteful huff. Then, they both turned beet red from the accusation and replied, in eerie unison, "I don't know what you're talking about!"

For a time, there was no comment, as literally _everyone_ present could smell the bullshit, but that was a subject for another time.

"Right," Reiko chirped, "let us move on, shall we?"

"Agreed," Mikoto replied.

Hiashi and Setsuka simply nodded.

With that, the one-eyed woman smiled and gestured for the group to follow. "very well, then. This way, please."

Hiashi and Mikoto nodded, and bid their entourage to follow, despite Juushiro's second groan.

* * *

 **Back in the classroom...**

* * *

Iruka observed as the last of the students entered and took their seats—a lazy-ass brat named Nara Shikamaru and a pink-hared girl named Haruno Sakura. In total, there were fifty-nine present, in this class, alone. Most notably, Uchiha Shizuka and Hyuuga Hinata—the heiresses to their clans—were among them, sitting in the back next to each other in the rear right corner of the class, with Naruto and Nariko—the last known members of the Uzumaki Clan—sitting on the opposite side. These four were also the oldest among the students by two years, in light of being held back for various reasons.

Iruka couldn't help but wonder why that was, in the twins' case, as no one seemed to know for sure. Granted, there were plenty of rumors, ranging from something to do with Yakuza ties to covering up a failed attempt at a lynching mob. But, that was all he really had to go by. The official reason was "health complications" and that could practically mean anything! Did these 'complications' have to do with the Yondaime's seal? Did something happen to one of them?

Most thought it was a lingering trauma from being abused by Reiko. She was a former convict, after all; a former drug lord, no less! What the fuck was that Shoki woman thinking, when leaving them in her care?! No one quite knew; nor could anyone prove that she the cause of those health issues, so nothing could legally be done about her—much to Iruka's distress.

Unfortunately, the young instructor couldn't linger upon these thoughts for any longer. He did have a job to do, after all, so he had to focus on that, for now.

With that being said and done, he cleared his throat and got the class's attention. "Alright," he said, "I suppose now's as good a time to say it as any: congratulations on making it this far! As you know, this is meant to be your last day at the academy, so I'll cut to the chase; there is a small packet on your desk. That is the written portion of your exam. While it only serves as one-third of your final score, anyone who fails either portion with a 40% or lower will fail the entire exam, immediately; regardless of their other scores."

That left a lot of the students suddenly feeling nervous, but it got their undivided attention.

"Once you're done with that," he continued, "you are free, until the end of your lunch break. When your break is over, anyone who fails will be sent home, and the rest of you will proceed to the second stage of the exam. You may now begin!"

Naruto and Nariko flipped their packets, like everyone else. Noticing that they were slightly thicker than the others, however, and reading the questions, they also saw that the questions were different. They masterfully hid their reactions and waited for a moment, as they doodled on the tests to make it look like they were taking those the exam like everyone else, before Nariko raised her hand.

"Yes?" Iruka answered.

"Need ta use the bathroom," she replied.

With a nod, he gave her permission to leave.

Nariko nodded back with a smile, before flipping her test over and scurrying off.

Tsume, however couldn't help but wonder if the blonde was up to something, given her reputation. With that in mind, she followed Nariko out, pausing, when Iruka called out in concern. "Just making sure she's not planning to give us a headache," she explained on her way out.

Naruto bit back a scowl, as he saw Tsume leave. Fortunately, no one had noticed the swirl of blue rose petals behind the desk... except for the one who was meant to.

* * *

Nariko was not a happy camper. Once she'd left the room, her visage was akin to that of a ravenous, caged beast who had been jabbed one to many times with a stick. Her pace was brisk, her shoulders tense, and her eyes full of malice towards whomever had slipped her and her brother a test with harder questions, clearly with the intent to insure they failed.

With a fire in her eyes, Nariko turned the corner to see Naruto standing before her. "The hell's going on?!"

"Apparently, Touji-San was not the only one left to cause us trouble, after all," the boy replied, looking down.

"But, why switch our packets like that?"

"Maybe they tried to discourage us with the harder questions?" That was Naruto's best guess, though he wasn't positive. "Either way, it's safe to assume that Akamon-San is either the culprit or an accomplice; there wouldn't be any point in doing this, if he wasn't."

"Wouldn'at make 'im stick out like a sore thumb?"

"He is not known for his strategic or intellectual prowess; hence the fact that Akomon-San is still a Gennin, at the age of thirty-eight."

Nariko nodded in agreement. That made sense, all things considered. Then, suddenly, the blonde's hackles raised, as she snarled and turned the corner to confront their uninvited guest.

Both women locked eyes, and the instant they did, the tension in the air was palpable. Nariko glared defiantly at the older woman, refusing to relent in the Inuzuka's presence. The silent exchange was akin to that of two wolves sizing each other up, and the lesser one, in this case, refused to acknowledge the big dog's supremacy.

As for Tsume, she had to physically stop herself from getting the "bitch" acquainted with her place. An alpha, in her own right, Nariko may have been, but she had a long way to go before she was on par with the fucking _matriarch_ of the Inuzuka Clan!

Letting her more feral side get the better of her, though, would only cause a metric fuck ton of problems for said clan head; so, she resisted. With that in mind, Tsume took a deep breath to calm herself... and when she did, she noticed a sense of distress in the younger girl. "Speak, brat! What's going on?"

"With all due respect," Nariko nearly growled out of pure instinct, "I doubt you'd believe me if I told you."

A sudden flare of beastly fury had flashed in Tsume's eyes, before disappearing as quickly as it had been seen. "Don't test me, bitch," she warned. "Is it something illegal?"

"It's not something I did... but yes." Nariko replied, "and I'm looking to deal with the one who did it."

Tsume's eyes narrowed."Where's Naruto?" She didn't sense any deception, but something about this brat made it clear that the blonde was going to "deal" with this "someone" in ways that were _not_ to be smiled upon.

When Nariko pursed her lips, not wanting to say, Tsume made it clear that answering was the smarter choice with a growl and hardened glare. "I heard him, just before you popped out."

Nariko scowled, knowing that that Tsume's sense of smell would pick it up if she lied. "Technically, still in the classroom," the blonde replied. "I was talking to a clone."

Now, it was Tsume's turn to scowl. "Kage Bunshin no Jutsu?"

Nariko's glare intensified, as she was now twice as tense, as she did not want to confirm Naruto's ability to create solid clones—such a technique should have been well beyond their presumed skill level. But, it seemed that she had no choice. A long moment had passed, before she answered, "...yes."

The aforementioned clone poked his head out to voice his concerns with that revelation. "Um..."

Nariko suddenly bared her teeth at him and unleashed a downright beastly snarl.

Naruto's clone yelped and ducked away, thoroughly knowing his place.

With that out of the way, Nariko immediately reestablished eye-contact with Tsume, making it clear that the blonde was not budging an inch.

If nothing else, Tsume was impressed by the girl's tenacity and display. While Nariko was still young, she knew how and when to assert her authority over her quaint, little leash. The Inuzuka then huffed, turning slightly, to signal that she was leaving. "You have five minutes to finish up or be disqualified."

Nariko blinked for the first time throughout the exchange, too surprised to kick herself for doing so.

Seeing the blonde's reaction, Tsume grinned. "Call it a reward for impressing me. But, if you get caught, I will _personally_ make sure no one finds out I let you go... one way or another."

Nariko scowled, again, but nodded. Turning the corner to return to her conversation with Naruto, she retained eye-contact with Tsume until the very instant that their line of sight was broken.

* * *

 **Back and forth, we go! Where we stop, no one knows... Hello, Reiko!**

* * *

The clan heads and their entourage found them in a large, traditional Japanese-style chamber. Most of the ANBU and others were stationed outside, while their captain and half the Hyuuga Clan guards kept a closer eye on Juushiro, Mikoto, and Hiashi.

The three councilmen in question were taking their seats in the center of the room, opposite of the three women who'd led them here.

"I'm telling you," Juushiro muttered, as he sat down. Clearly, he was still not too comfortable, here... though it was hard to blame him, to be fair. "these three made it pretty damn clear, when they were in prison, that they didn't belong in the same _country_ , let alone the same room!"

At that, Kuukaku scoffed. "Well, technically, we don't even belong in the same universe, but I suppose that's beside the point."

"What did the fourth wall ever do to you?" Setsuka asked.

"That's enough," Reiko barked. Juushiro literally _felt_ a wave of malice being aimed at him, as the one-eyed woman shot him a stern glare, "all _three_ of you." Continuing to address the white-haired man, she continued in an eerily-calm tone that left no room for argument, "you, especially, Juushiro. Your prattling on about days long past is getting on my nerves, and if you don't cease, I will have you escorted off my property... painfully, if I so desire."

Knowing that continuing would only cause further problems, Juushiro nodded reluctantly with a scowl. As much as he didn't want to be here, he was needed as Mikoto and Hiashi's legal adviser... according to the Hokage

Nodding in satisfaction, Reiko then addressed Hiashi and Mikoto. "So... what brings you here, I wonder? As you can see, the Pit is not what most nobles would call a desirable destination."

Juushiro visibly bit his tongue.

"We've come to talk about the arrangements we made with Shoki-Sama, several years ago." Hiashi stated, glad to finally get down to business. Juushiro's blabbering would be reported later, in a formal complaint.

"Ah, yes," Reiko mused, "I remember her telling me about that..." Then, she flashed a wolfish grin. "So you know who saved your little bundles of joy, do you?"

* * *

Returning to the classroom, Nariko couldn't control her instincts, as she subconsciously stopped to glare at Tsume. The fact that the target of her ire didn't even seem to acknowledge her only served to piss the blonde off even more.

"Return to your seat, brat," the older woman warned, "before I consider that a challenge." She had witnesses, now, so if the blonde pursued a conflict, Tsume could easily argue that Nariko was to blame.

Said blonde didn't budge, as a long, tense silence filled the air. Literally everyone present could legitimately feel the malice in the air. This feeling only tripled in intensity, as Tsume got up and glared back.

"Last warning, brat!"

Nariko was trembling; both in anger and fear, though she refused to admit the latter. But, she knew that if this continued, she'd find herself bent over Tsume's knee, before _anyone_ in the room could react. That thought brought the blonde back to her senses, as she forced herself to tear her gaze from Tsume's and returned to her seat with a huff.

Again, Tsume needed to restrain herself, after that blatant show of disrespect. Then, she leaned against the chalkboard with a sigh, closing her eyes in meditation.

"What the hell was that?" Iruka demanded.

"The reason that I said having me here was a bad idea," Tsume deadpanned, not appreciating the interruption. Then, she lied, a bit. Knowing that the Uzumaki twins' condition was such a closely-guarded secret, mentioning it in front of so many people—even indirectly—would be an immeasurably bad idea. "her Kekkei Genkai and mine don't mix too well."

"She wasn't like that with Kiba, last year," Iruka countered, not satisfied with that.

"Kiba's not an alpha," Tsume pointed out, "I am... and so is she; that's what makes her feel threatened, when I'm around."

"Ah!" Now, it clicked. Much like the twins, the Inuzuka Clan were known for running more on instinct than logic, and two alpha dogs in the same room was quite often _not_ a recipe for a nice day... especially when said dogs could both level _buildings_ with their bare hands.

But, then, something came to mind.

"Wait," Iruka said, "if that's the case, then why did you chase after her, not even two minutes ago?"

"Because I know my duties," Tsume sighed. This man was getting _annoying_... No wonder her daughter dumped him! "I could smell something... off about her, so I followed to investigate. Turned out to be nothing, but I still had to check, at least. I'd also like to point out that I'm a hell of a lot more careful than most people give me credit for. I wouldn't be a Jounin, if I wasn't."

"Fair enough," the Chuunin relented. While Tsume was undoubtedly strong, such a rank wasn't attained through martial prowess, alone.

Back in her seat, Nariko skimmed over the questions. Most of them left a lot of room to write, and required more than twenty words to be answered correctly. All of them were very detailed, and would not be easy to answer without revealing too much about her abilities. But, Naruto and Nariko agreed that they likely had to answer them... at least enough to show that they were good candidates for the job. They also didn't want to cause a ruckus, lest the fucker responsible for their situation be alerted that they were onto him.

With that being said, they'd answer the first page and doodle all over the rest to make it look like they were doing the complete test. That way, Tsume and Iruka wouldn't get suspicious about their premature departure.

Looking at said page, Nariko took a moment to review the three questions that were there. Starting with the second one, because she fucking _could_ :

" _2\. What is an Elemental Chakra Nature, and what are the Five Base Affinities?"_

" _3\. What are the known Hybrid Elements and the elements that they are comprised of?"_

" _1\. What the Common Arts, the Uncommon Arts, and at least two of the Obscure Arts? Include a summary of each one."_

 _'Might as well get rid of the big one, first,'_ She thought. Then, she jotted it all down.

" _The common arts are... well, the most common Ninja Arts used in most countries. They are Taijutsu (the art of hand-to-hand combat), Shurikenjutsu (the art of marksmanship with throwing weapons), Genjutsu (the art of illusions and deception), and Ninjutsu (the art of usually-long-ranged motherfuckery)._

 _The Uncommon Arts are trickier to learn and teach. So, they're harder to come by. They are Fuuinjustu (the art of seals and curses), Kenjutsu (the art of blades and swordsmanship), Yumijutsu (the art of archery), Ijutsu (the art of healing) and Kugutsujutsu (the art of puppetry)._

 _Finally the obscure arts are... obscure, because people are boring, which is the only reason they're not popular!"_ She then drew a cute, little squinty-face with whiskers for added effect. _"The ones I'll list are Utajutsu (the art of songs) and Kanabojutsu (the art of clubs), because I fucking LIKE them!"_

As the twins were busy scribbling away, several of the students were already getting up and going out to lunch. The first one was Shizuka, as she smirked triumphantly, sauntering off with an aura of pride, to the point of straight-up _arrogance_.

Tsume eyeballed the Uchiha, as she passed by and thought, _'dead girl walking.'_

It wasn't that the Jounin could be blamed for her lack of confidence, though; in Tsume's experience, the ones who died first tended to be just like the brat. The bigger the head, the easier it was to go for. It was as simple as that.

Moving on to the second question, Nariko answered as best she could. She wasn't nearly as articulate and knowledgeable as her brother was, though, so she struggled with it, even if only just a bit.

" _The Elemental Chakra Natures are basically the result of our Chakra's ability to take on the properties of the elements... because hocus-fucking-pocus? I dunno... The five base elements are Doton(earth-release), Katon(fire-release), Fuuton(wind-release), Suiton(water-release), and Raiton(lightning-release)."_

Next one to walk out was a pink-haired brat named Haruno Sakura. She was a brainy one, but scrawny as all hell. There was no way in hell she'd pass the final course, as far as Tsume was concerned. Right on the pinkette's heels was the Hyuuga brat, and Tsume couldn't help but feel that this girl, in particular, was always hiding something. They _did_ say it was the quiet ones, yes?

Finally finishing the last question, Nariko flipped the page and scribbled away; doodling little foxes and writing answers like, _"because, fuck you! That's why!"_

As soon as she started getting bored, though, Naruto decided that he should go first. He wanted to be in the right position to pull his sister out of any shit storms that blew on in, just in case... especially considering that Nariko and Tsume were becoming more and more agitated with each other's presence. With that in mind, the young man used his teleportation technique to disappear and reappear in a swirl of blue rose petals.

Tsume blinked in surprise at the display. This kid was no ordinary brat, most people knew that. But, she still hadn't expected him to have such a degree of control over Shunshin no Jutsu. While it was a Genin-level Ninjutsu, most kids his age still needed to use Hand Seals to compensate for their lack of control.

 _'Well, that was impressive,'_ Tsume admitted, _'but flaunting one's skills like that is a good way to wake up in a ditch, at best. Kinda strange though... I never pegged him as a show-off.'_

Then, something caught Tsume's eye, as Naruto plopped the packet onto the desk, face-up. _'Wait a second...'_

Looking at the packet more closely, Tsume knew damn well that something was wrong. "Iruka, you're on your own. I need to take care of something..."

"Wait, what?" Before the man in question could finish his indignant reply, Tsume was already gone in a hasty swirl of leaves. Then, there was another plop. Instinctively, Iruka looked in its direction and got a good look at Nariko's packet. The moment he did, he realized what was happening, and only replied with a still-somewhat-befuddled, "oh..."

By the time he looked up, Naruto and Nariko were giggling and holding hands on their way out. Iruka considered the notion of following the brats, but he still had plenty of other students to look after. Scowling at his situation, he let out a sigh, hoping Tsume was able to remove this problem before it became a bigger one.

* * *

 **Minutes later, in the nearest bathroom...**

* * *

A flush sounded in the first cubicle, as Hinata was just about to leave and was her hands... until she jumped back in and hopped on the toilet seat, at the sight of two very familiar siblings. _'What are they doing, here?'_ Hinata activated her family's most prized ability, unable to contain her curiosity. _'Byakugan!'_

Several blood veins bulged out around the Hyuuga's eyes, as her irises became more pronounced and her pupils dilated. With her eyes now "active", she peered right through the walls of the cubicle, in hopes of seeing what they were up to.

Hinata was then immeasurably shocked to see that Naruto had Nariko in a loving embrace from behind, nibbling his sister's neck and lifting her skirt. Caressing his sister through her shorts, Naruto moaned and ripped a lustful whimper from the very back Nariko's throat.

"Are you sure about this?" The elder twin asked, withdrawing just enough to whisper his halfhearted concerns to the girl "we might get caught... again."

"Just a quickie," Nariko moaned hungrily. Then, she started to purr... literally, as her brother fondled her chest through her shirt and fishnet. "I need this just as bad as you do, Onii-Chan! I'm _already_ soakin' wet..."

Stock-still and too shocked to look away... or deactivate her Kekkei Genkai, for that matter, Hinata could only gape and stare; her face inventing a new shade of red with each passing second. Was she even breathing? It was hard to tell...

Then, the unthinkable happened; Nariko pushed herself away and pulled down her shorts. She then bent over at the hips with her hands on the sink and a downright-predatory gleam in her eye, revealing a lack of underwear to her mate.

Naruto lifted her skirt and then, his hands went straight to his belt.

 _'Are they about to...'_ Hinata thought. Then, her mind went completely blank, as Naruto's pants opened up and his long, stiff member was revealed. Indeed, they were...

Nariko growled and purred in anticipation. She simply wasn't thinking straight. But, she still knew that this was a bad idea. She knew someone was liable to walk in on them... and she knew that she didn't give a shit! The blonde wanted her man inside her, and no amount of risk would discourage her form getting some!

Naruto then placed a hand on his sister's hip and guided his member to her lower lips. Both twins immediately let out a long, lustful moan at the feeling of one's member entering the other's most sacred depths. Shifting into a better position, the young man then put his hands on his sister's waists and started to move. His pace was slow, at first, but his thrusts were deep and powerful.

"O.. O-Onii... Chan," Nariko longingly whined. The pleasure she felt made it hard for her not to so pathetic. "I love you so much! You have no idea how much I wanted to do this!"

"I know," Naruto whispered back, already short on breath, as he slowly picked up the pace, "I love you, too... Imouto-Sama."

As though she were watching a train wreck, poor Hinata was too shocked to look away from the taboo spectacle happening not even five feet away from her, even if she wanted to. What only made it worse was the warm moistening of her pants making it very uncomfortable to... wait. Well, that was awkward.

Nariko's moans only grew in volume, as her brother's pace quickly escalated. The sound of flesh on flesh started echoing throughout the bathroom. Her purrs returned, as well, when Naruto started pounding her harder and deeper at a nice, even pace.

Now pulling his sister's hips back to join him with each thrust, Naruto could only moan, in lustful, forbidden pleasure, as he continued his assault. He could feel himself nearing his release with each passing second.

"Onii-Chan," Nariko purred, "it feels so good! I'm gonna cum, already!"

Naruto struggled to respond, "I... I am... too, Imouto-Sama!"

Hinata's eyes widened, realizing that Naruto was showing no indication of his intent to pull out. If anything, he was speeding up, as if he was... Hinata's cheeks invented yet another shade of red at the thought, knowing full well what was coming next.

"Here it comes!" Naruto roared, slamming his hips against his sister's rear—pulling her hips back towards him—as he shoved himself as deep as he could into her folds.

Hinata could only stare. With her "all-seeing" eyes, she got a clear, graphic view of her crush's long, throbbing member entering his own twin sister's cervix, just before shooting his massive load directly into the blonde's uterus. The sight of such a dirty, forbidden act still proved too much for Hinata's... technically virgin eyes.

Nariko's only response was to moan lewdly at the long-missed sensation of her brother's wet heat flooding her farthest depths. Naruto's orgasm had triggered her own; her fluttering inner walls clamping down upon her brother's member and milking him for every last drop he had to offer.

As one would expect, Naruto was the first to recover, and he thrust into his sister's depths slowly to let her ride out the remainder of her orgasm. Once she had calmed down, and only then, did he extract his softening member from her dripping folds. When he did so, a light patter could be heard from the several drops of semen that seeped out of Nariko's lower lips.

Immediately after that, Nariko stood up, quickly making herself presentable, while Naruto did the same. Then, the younger of the twins turned slightly, placing a hand on her brother's cheek and craning her neck to give him a quick, but unmistakably loving kiss. Once that was done with, she whispered for him to wait for her, and Naruto walked out to do just that.

The moment he stepped out the door, though, the blond found himself berated by a passing instructor... only to leave her shocked by bluntly explaining—in full, graphic, utterly mortifying detail—what he was doing in the girls' bathroom. The exchange had proven quite amusing for Nariko to listen to, but she had someone else to focus on.

Before she could realize what just happened, Hinata found herself blinking the white haze from her vision. Her Byakugan had apparently turned itself off, and a light hum still was ringing in her ears. Did she just do what she thought she did?! Hinata's blush returned in full force, as she hoped beyond all hope that she hadn't squealed, this time.

Then, Nariko looked towards the stalls and smiled. Unfortunately, the Hyuuga's frantic hopes were all for naught, and the blonde could only smile with a predatory glee at Hinata's plight. "You enjoy the show, Hinata-Chan?"

The only response heard was a loud thud.

While the infamously-shy, young woman was not nearly as susceptible to fainting as she used to be, the shock from getting caught in the act of... _presently_ unintentional voyeurism was, in the end, the straw that broke the camel's back.

Nariko let out a disappointed sigh at the younger girl's old habits resurfacing. But, at the same time, she found it hard to blame the girl, all things considered.

 _'Oh, well...'_ the blonde thought, _'better make sure she didn't hurt herself, at least.'_

* * *

 **This was a long-ass chapter. Didn't realize how long until I was done, lol. That aside, I don't have a lot of experience writing sex scenes, so, again, constructive criticism is welcome.**

 **For the record, "blond" is masculine, while "blonde" is feminine. That said, when I say, "the blonde," I'm referring to a chic. I hope this helps with any confusion I may have caused.**

 **As for the twins, I'm trying to pass Naruto off as the sophisticated one of the two, while Nariko's the ratty-looking street urchin who don't give a shit. Naruto rarely uses conjunctions and speaks almost entirely in complete sentences, while Nariko speaks like a stereotypical punk.**

* * *

 **Trivia:**

 **In canon, Akamon Manabu attended the Chuunin Exams, just before the Sand/Sound invasion. He was just a face in the background though. To my knowledge, he never popped up again. I could be wrong, mind you, but, if I'm not, then it's quite likely that he died at some point thereafter, all things considered.**

 **Onii-Chan is a cutesy way of referring to one's older brother. While Naruto and Nariko are twins, one of 'em had to pop out first.**

 **Imouto is a Japanese word for one's little sister. The "sama" Naruto adds is an honorific denoting respect and acknowledgment of authority.**

* * *

 **Techniques Mentioned:**

 **Kage Bunshin no Jutsu (Art of the Shadow Doppelganger): is a technique in which one creates a sentient, solid clone out of pure Chakra. When the clone is dispelled, the caster gains all memories thereof. This technique is typically used for scouting, but is forbidden, due to its sheer demand for Chakra, as well as the mental strain it often places upon the caster.**

 **Shunshin no Jutsu (Art of the Body Flicker): a teleportation technique. 'Tis usually a mid range technique, but masters can use it to cover up to a few miles, though doing so usually requires a lot of Chakra. Such a feat, however, requires the caster to be sufficiently familiar with their destination. Only then can it be successfully performed.**

 **(Naruto's Shunshin variant is more stylized; utilizing the image of blue rose petals for added spice, as one of the very few frills he actually allows in his techniques.)**


	6. Chapter 5

**Twisted Bonds: the Ultimate Sin**

 **Arc Two: the Genin Exams  
Chapter Two: The Vanishing Fucker**

"I've never been so embarrassed in my life!" Hinata muttered, into the table, as she hid her blush behind her folded arms.

"What did she do," Shizuka asked with a sigh. Somehow, she _knew_ the wench had something to do with this!

Hinata knew who the Uchiha meant and replied, "she caught me watching her bend over the sink, while Naruto-Kun pounded her like a champ..."

Shizuka stared at her friend in shock. "In the bathroom?!"

"Of course..." This academy didn't exactly have an abundance of sinks in most places the student body tended to frequent.

"Didn't they know you were there, before they started?!"

"Most likely..." Their sense of smell _was_ akin to that of the Inuzuka Clan, after all.

"Did she at least have him—"

"He blew his load right inside her," Hinata interrupted. Then, just as her friend was about to speak, again, she added, "between the legs."

Shizuka was dumbfounded. Was that bitch _really_ so bold?! The Uchiha had her suspicions that the rumors were at least _partially_ true, but she didn't want to believe it. Not only was her man sleeping with that woman, but she was making him do it in front of Hinata?! Was it to gloat? Was that whore so cheeky as to show them that she was engaging in full-blown incest in _public_ , just to try and say they'd never have him?!

Shizuka's train of thought then spectacularly crashed, when another classmate made her presence known with a giggle. It was Nariko, sauntering on up to the pair and the Uchiha, in particular, wasn't having it.

"You hussy!" Shizuka shrieked, charging towards the blonde. Her rampage was cut short, though, when Naruto appeared between the brunette and her target with the strategic use of the academy's Body-Flicker Technique—a swirl of blue rose petals accompanying his sudden appearance, as usual.

Only the twins had noticed a purple-haired girl in the corner suddenly going tense at the sight of Shizuka's rage.

As for the heiress, herself, her unmitigated fury continued to boil, even as she skidded to a stop in front of Naruto. She took a few much-needed, cleansing breaths to calm herself. Pummeling this man's sister in front of hime was probably not the best way to win him over...

"Now, now," Nariko chirped. She was very familiar with Shizuka's personally, so the outburst came as no surprise. "There's no need to be so rude, Shizuka- _Chan_!" The girl in question growled. "I'm just here to wish you luck on the exams."

Shizuka glared at the blonde. "I don't need luck to—"

"—take my man away from me?" Nariko inserted.

At that, Shizuka tripped over her words and turned beet red.

"What," Nariko giggled, "you thought I didn't know? Bitch, please... I knew about your little crush since we were ten." With that, the younger twin sauntered off; a haughty cackle in her throat and a provocative sway of the hips. But, just before she was out of earshot, she inserted one final taunt, "I can't wait to see you try and take him."

Shizuka bristled at that, but then took another calming breath. It helped, if only just a bit.

"I hope you pass Shizuka-San," Naruto muttered, seemingly so as not to be heard by his sister. "You and Hinata-San are both very talented. I'd hate to see your skills go to waste."

Hinata's only response was to turn beet red, again.

Shizuka, though, was only further motivated. She was going to steal that man, if it was the last thing she did! She then looked away shyly and nodded, blushing at the complement. Then as her love interest returned to Nariko's side, a purple-haired girl with a katana caught the young Uchiha's eye, upon passing by to join up with the twins.

'Twas not hard to recognize the only girl in the whole damn academy who wore a sailor-style seifuku—let alone the only girl who'd wear one with a katana on her belt.

Specifically, it was a navy blue seifuku with black mary-janes and white, thigh-high stockings. Her hair reached down to her rump, while her violet eyes glared at Shizuka behind large glasses with black, minimalistic frames and elliptical lenses.

Her name was Semimaru Akari—a fourteen-year-old brat with a reputation that the Uchiha had refused to believe until just now.

 _'Holy shit, the rumors_ are _true,'_ Shizuka thought both shocked and jealous. Only potential graduates were even allowed to be on campus, today, so there was no denying it—especially with all the extra security floating about. _'How the hell did_ she _, of all people, skip two grades?!'_

* * *

 **Meanwhile...**

* * *

Reiko took a puff of her pipe in deep contemplation. Then, she looked straight at Hiashi and said, "I decline."

The Hyuuga couldn't keep the shock off of his face. "what? Why would you—"

"The founder of the Pit may have been a demon," Reiko explained, "but she made her standards very clear, when writing our laws." She then shrugged. "As it turns out, she deeply frowned upon, and I quote, 'any form of wedlock in which one or more parties within said arrangement are not giving their full, knowing consent.'" The former drug lord puffed her pipe, once more. "Her words to the letter... That said, political marriages—like the one you're proposing—are illegal in the Pit. Hell, they're even punishable by death, in severe-enough cases."

Juushiro looked as though he wanted to object. Mikoto and Hiashi, however, stayed silent. The former wanted to see how this played out, before speaking her mind. The latter was contemplating his options.

But, Reiko wasn't done yet, as was made clear by a firm glare towards the white-haired man. "I would also like to remind you that we have been recognized by the Daimyou of Hi no Kuni, himself, as an independent entity; a micro state, if you will, with the right to make and uphold our own set of laws."

Juushiro scowled, but stayed silent.

Taking advantage of that, Reiko continued, "there are ways to reach a compromise, though. Why complicate matters with marriage, in the first place, if what you want is to protect your daughters?"

* * *

Several moments later, Mikoto let out a heavy sigh, more than a little relieved to be out of Reiko's territory. Ever since she'd heard that the one-eyed woman had been released from prison, the Matriarch of the Uchiha Clan had been understandably worried about what would be done with that freedom.

But, for the most part, Reiko appeared to just... keep to herself. Upon inheriting the slums from Shoki, the former drug lord wisely kept the majority of her activities within their borders, where they were legal and easy to ignore. The problem for most people, though, was that she was clearly not just sitting there with her thumbs up her ass. Nothing had made this more obvious than the Jockstrap Incident.

Setsuka was freed as a result of it, and poor Maito Gai would never be looked at quite the same way again, after all was said and done. But, while the resulting revelations of that ordeal did make the Uchiha Matriarch a bit nervous, Mikoto was bothered most by Reiko's unnerving aura.

Dislodging her thoughts and turning to Hiashi, Mikoto asked, "so, do you think we did the right thing?"

"With all of these political vultures circling about," the man commented, "it's all we _can_ do."

Indeed, it was... Mikoto just hoped that Shizuka would understand.

* * *

 **Back at the academy...**

* * *

Once their lunch break was over, the students returned to class, as one would expect. The last to arrive was Shizuka, as she understandably needed to cool her head, after her encounter with Nariko... especially with what the Uchiha had learned about her love interest's sex life.

What had caught Shizuka off guard, though, was a pair of ANBU chilling out on either side of her classroom's door. Rushing up to one of them, she addressed the man on the left. "Did something happen?"

"Nothing for you to worry about," he replied, "please do continue with your exams."

Shizuka was far from comforted, but nodded and went to class. After doing so, however, she noticed a pair of missing twins and turned to Iruka, asking, "where's Naruto?" She sounded more concerned than intended, but didn't care too much, as she was legitimately worried.

"Seeing the headmistress," the instructor replied. "He and his sister don't seem to be in trouble, though; she just wanted to ask them a few questions." Then he then politely gestured in the direction of her desk. "Please, take a seat, so we can get started on the next exam."

* * *

Meanwhile, in Headmistress Suzume Namida's office, said woman and Sarutobi Hiruzen looked intensely at the Semimaru-Uzumaki Twins, before exchanging a glance.

"So," the Hokage began, "have either of you come across the instructor Akamon Manabu, today?"

"Nope," Nariko chirped.

"May I inquire as to why you ask," Naruto added, tilting his head, curiously.

"He's gone missing," Namida answered. "we have reason to believe he disappeared around lunchtime."

"So, you think that we did it, then?" Naruto raised an eyebrow, as Namida and Hiruzen's eyes narrowed. "With all due respect, Hokage-Sama, I am not stupid. We all know we would not be here, if that was not the case."

"We have reason to believe you'd think he was behind your exams being sabotaged," Hiruzen explained. "What were you two doing, during your lunch break?"

"Fucking in the girls' bathroom," Nariko answered with a shrug. Then, she tried very hard to keep herself from laughing at Namida's shocked and appalled expression... and failed, horribly

"This is serious," Hiruzen barked, giving the blonde a flat look.

"So am I," Nariko replied. "I'm sorry! Her reaction was just too damn funny, I couldn't help but laugh."

"We have witnesses," Naruto added.

"I can produce the evidence, if ya need it," Nariko tacked on, pointing to her skirt.

Hiruzen shot her another look. "That won't be necessary," he deadpanned. Then, he redirected his attention to Naruto. "Who are the witnesses?"

Meanwhile, Namida was nothing short of distraught at the twins' nonchalant attitude. Seriously, they were confessing to public indecency and disorderly conduct, as if they were talking about the damn _weather_! On top of that, they were _siblings_! Granted these crimes were misdemeanors in Konoha—basically falling in roughly the same ballpark as littering—but, that didn't leave the puritanical woman's brain in any less needing of a fucking reboot...

* * *

A few moments later, Hinata entered the room, thoroughly startled to have been summoned to Namida's office—by and ANBU, no less! Hoping she wasn't in trouble, she quickly noticed Naruto and Nariko and blushed heavily at her recollection of what they did at lunchtime. Had they gotten in trouble for it?

Then, she saw the Hokage, himself in the room. Needless to say, spotting that man, in particular, made Hinata feel even less at ease than ever before. What could _he_ possibly want with her?!

Another addition to the room was a woman in a feminine business suit with black hair that was put up into a neat, little bun. In addition to her suit, she wore nude pantyhose, black slippers, and broad frame glasses. Her eyes were a piercing gold, and... well, one could say she lived up to her name: Chibusa.

"She's a bit shy," Nariko said, gesturing towards the Hyuuga. "Easily flustered. Just so ya know."

"Noted," Hiruzen stated. Then, he turned to the girl in question. "Please, have a seat, Hyuuga-San."

Hinata let out a startled squeak, ripping her attention away from the young man to whom it had just drifted. Then, she nodded and scurried on over to the nearest available chair.

Once she was seated, the Hokage spoke. "It has come to my attention," he started, "that something has happened in this facility. A member of the staff was suspected of trying to sabotage these exams and have since gone missing." He gestured to the twins. "Naruto-San and Nariko-San claim the two of you can testify that they were... in the girls' restroom nearest the cafeteria, at lunchtime. Please note that this is a high-profile criminal investigation. Any falsehoods will be treated as an act of treason."

Chibusa bit back a scowl. While she wasn't a fan of the twins, especially after her previous interaction with them, she had nothing against them. Did the Hokage honestly think so little of her?

Still, it was unnerving that someone else had disappeared. That was the third one this semester! What happened?!

"Th-they were..." Hinata was the one who had broken the brief silence that rose in the wake of Hiruzen's warning. Reverting to her old self in the presence of both her crush _and_ the village's leader, she couldn't help but find herself stuttering in a quiet, meek tone. "I... I saw them... when... when I u-used the restroom."

Chibusa then spoke her piece, her tone being one of all business. "I saw Naruto-San, just as he left the restroom. I demanded to know what he was doing in there. His reply was, and I quote, 'I was fucking my sister.'"

Words could not describe how much the instructor suddenly wanted to brush her teeth, after saying that. It felt so dirty!

"Your reaction was fucking priceless," Nariko giggled.

"That's enough," Hiruzen berated. Then, he turned to Chibusa, "please, continue."

Chibusa nodded and obliged. "Soon after that," she said, "Hinata-San bolted out of the restroom like a bat out of hell, and Nariko-San soon followed. Once she..." Chibusa hesitated, blushing a bit at the memory, "confirmed that her brother's statements were true, shall we say, the two of them left for the cafeteria."

"Why didn't you file a report?" The one who had asked was Namida, her tone demanding. While she—like the instructor—had nothing against the twins, such misconduct was not to be tolerated in this academy.

"Once I had recovered enough from the shock of that... interaction," Chibusa explained, "I went straight back to my classroom and was literally just turning it in, when I was summoned." She searched her purse, as if to locate the report, then, cleared her throat with a look of embarrassment. It was with the secretary, wasn't it? Ah, yes; indeed it was! Apparently, that ANBU had startled Chibusa more than she'd thought. "It's on Hitomi's desk, as we speak, Namida-Sama. My apologies."

"I will leave you to test them, Namida-San," Hiruzen stated. At said woman's befuddled look, he explained, "Naruto-San and Nariko-San's exams were the ones being sabotaged. I need to ensure that they get a fair, unbiased examination of their skills and abilities. Please do the same for Hinata-San."

"Understood, Hokage-Sama," Namida replied solemnly.

"Once you're done with these exams," he stated, redirecting his attention to the twins, in particular, "You will be expected to perform three months of community service for disorderly conduct and public indecency, understood?"

Naruto and Nariko both replied in perfect unison, far more professionally than anyone present had expected. "Yes, sir!"

* * *

Several hours later, a deep, pained groan echoed throughout a dark, dreary chamber. A groggy, burly man with brown hair and a thick mustache peered as best he could through broken glasses. His head pounded; his vision blurred and warped, as he tried to collect his bearings.

It was far too dark to see much more than jack shit, even if he could see much through the dirty, cracked lenses. But, the man tried nonetheless. He was just able to make out a pair of mismatched running shoes, right before they disappeared in a poof of smoke.

Then, there was the clatter of several locks opening, and the door creaked ajar. The man felt a deep, penetrating sensation of dread, as the crimson light of sun-down entered the room, shining upon his face-down, shackled and disheveled form. He wanted to run, he wanted to hide, but he couldn't escape.

Those dreadful, demonic, slit eyes were upon him, now; glowing a bright, fiery orange. There was no denying that the silhouette cast upon him belonged to her; the demon child, Semimaru-Uzumaki Nariko.

There, she stood, in the doorway, her face twisted twisted into a sadistic, wide-eyed grin as she eyeballed her new plaything. Her voice was of utter glee and promised immeasurable pain for daring to oppose her.

"Hello, Manabu-Chan!"

The following giggle, _alone_ , made Academy Instructor Akamon Manabu wish that he had not been born.

* * *

 **And, done! That's the last one, for now. Holy shit!**

 **My apologies for taking so damn long. Soon after what was intended to be my last update at the time, I found myself moving to another state, attending college, having to drop out due to health issues, moving into and out of an apartment, moving in, out, and back in with my grandparents, making and losing many friends, being without my own computer until the ass end of 2014, and getting engaged to a woman on the other side of the country... horizontally speaking. I live in America. Enough said.**

 **All-in-all, my life has been rather chaotic over the years. But, I'm back with a vengeance! Hell, yeah!**

 **I'm currently in the process of writing the next chapter. Ideally, I wanna have it up at the end of next week, but shit happens, and I'm fixing to move again, soon. Gotta get to a more secure location, so I can get a job and save up fr the wedding, among other things. My computer's also not looking good. That said, I'mma do my best.**

* * *

 **Trivia:**

 **A seifuku is a is a Japanese schoolgirl's uniform. Akari's is a standard, navy blue, sailor-style high school uniform... at least for now,**

 **Semimaru Akari is a character from Yakuza Girl, and is thus the intellectual property of Masaki Motonaga—in other words, not me.**

 **Again, Dragon Ball Z Abridged is the intellectual property of Team Four Star—of which I am not a member. Credit goes to them for the creation of a Jockstrap Incident.**

 **According to my sources, chibusa is a Japanese word for breasts. This woman is an original character, and was made for the sole purpose of making a character named tits... because, tits! At least I'm honest!**

 **This was originally intended to be the last chapter of a mini arc, before moving on to the missions arc, but I've since decided to combine the two.**

* * *

 **I will also be posting this fic on my Ficwad and AFF accounts. I will have links on my profile, when I'm done.**

 **Until next tome, have a good one! :)**


	7. Chapter 6

**My deepest apologies for taking so much longer than intended to update. Right when I said that I wanted to finish this chapter up by the end of the week, the dreaded writer's block decided it was a good time to remind me how much of a bitch it can be. -_-**

 **But, hey, the show must go in, as they say, thus it shall! =3**

* * *

 **Twisted Bonds: the Ultimate Sin**

 **Arc Two: the Genin Exams  
Chapter Three: Festivities and Insecurities**

* * *

The next day saw Naruto and Nariko at a quaint, little ramen stand named Ichiraku's. Behind the counter was Ayame—a dark-eyed brunette in a tan dress with a frilly apron. She wore a white bandanna to keep her long hair out of her way... and the food, as she as she prepared two bowls of her family's best miso ramen.

Pouring the last bit of soup into the giant bowls, she served it up, and giggled, when Nariko started tearing into it like a champ.

Naruto grabbed a pair of chopsticks, but before he started eating, as well, he asked, "how is business going, Onee-Chan?"

Ayame smiled and blushed a bit at the title. It was sweet, even if she found that being called a "sister" felt more than a little awkward, now. Of course Naruto had no problem with it, but she had a very different mindset on the matter.

"Now, I know why Tou-San was so worried about me moving here," she answered with a sigh, after clearing her throat and banishing her previous thoughts. Then, she chuckled in what sounded like tired amusement. "It was a bit rough, at first, I'll admit, but I'm managing. Business is getting better, so it should be smooth sailing from here."

The twins were worried, at first, but relieved to hear the good news.

"The Children of the Pit are... understandably wary of Leafies," Nariko explained. "It just took 'em a while to trust ya. But, you should be okay, now." Then, the blonde's expression turned notably impish. "So... how's it baking?"

Ayame turned beet red, knowing full well what the younger girl meant. The brunette cleared her throat, again, and replied, "fairly well." She absently placed a hand on her stomach, deep in thought. "It's still a bit early, so we won't be able to tell if it's a boy or girl for a while."

Nariko let out a sigh, sounding both happy and... disappointed. "I wish you'd reconsider."

"I know," Ayame replied, looking away. "It's just... hard."

"Sharing is simply not for everyone," Naruto pointed out.

"Yeah," Ayame sighed. Then, she leaned over the counter and gave Nariko a kiss on the forehead. "But, still; I can't thank you enough." Smiling at the blonde's blush and giggle, she then added, "If you ever need anything...:"

"Right back atchya," Nariko chirped.

* * *

 **Just a bit later...**

* * *

It was still the early morning. The cold, winter air bit and gnawed at the twins, but the hot soup in their bellies made it bearable, as they stood atop the roof of an old, abandoned chapel.

It was December 31st; New Years' Eve, and the villagers busied themselves with preparing for that night's festival. The problem, however, was that with this festival came alcohol, and with alcohol came people doing stupid shit. In Konoha, this usually translated to attempted lynchings of the Semimaru Family.

This would simply not do, and a large chunk of Juushiro's department was busy trying to peace together what the fuck happened to Manabu, yesterday. Most of ANBU had problems of their own, as did the Shinobi Forces. So, the Children of the Pit were effectively forced to take precautions of their own and fend off any assholes who might slip through the lapse in security that Naruto and Nariko admittedly had a hand in creating.

With that in mind, Naruto spoke into a concealed microphone on his sleeve. "Kotohiko-San," he said, "Status report."

A masculine voice replied. "Nothing yet, Semimaru-Sama."

"Dosu-San," Naruto spoke again.

Another male voice spoke, this one being much deeper. "No movement in my neck of the woods," he said.

"Kisara-San?"

This time, a gravely, female voice muttered a response; her tone being rather a bored one. "Jack shit, so far..."

"Stay vigilant," Naruto ordered. "It will only a matter of time before they surface. Knowing these idiots, they will not squander such a chance to try this shit."

All three replied at once. "Understood."

Nariko then voiced her concerns. "You think it'll work out?"

"We shall see if it does," Naruto replied. He wasn't sure, to be perfectly honest, but he hoped for the best.

With all that was going on, their graduation, the community service they had to perform, and the challenges these would bring were but a distant memory; unimportant. What mattered to these two, at the moment, was surviving long enough to attend.

* * *

Meanwhile, in the Hokage's office, Ukitake Juushiro, Supreme Captain Tenzou, and finally, Supreme General Nara Shikaku all stood before Hiruzen. Despite how happy this day was supposed to be, they all knew something sinister was brewing.

Hiruzen spoke first, addressing Juushiro, "have you made any progress on Manabu-San?"

"None, sir," Juushiro replied with no small amount of embarrassment. "The last sighting was still yesterday afternoon, during the school lunch period, just before he disappeared."

This was indeed troubling. It was just like Mizuki, and the many who vanished before him.

"In that case," the Hokage declared, "Akamon Manabu is to be hereby labeled M.I.A., like the rest, until further notice. Any sightings are to be immediately reported, as is the discovery of his remains. This is to be treated as a possible murder case, from here on out. Understood?"

This declaration may have seemed just a bit excessive without context, but over the past five years, this had been the _fourteenth_ disappearance of a a ninja academy instructor—nine of which were confirmed to have been potential traitors to the village.

Something was happening to these people, and the Hokage had his suspicions that it was the twins. But, he had no real evidence. At best, three of them were able to be definitively linked to the twins, and even then, those brats had solid—albeit headache-inducing—alibis, in each case.

The first was the Giant Penis Incident. The second was the day their relationship had first been discovered... in a broom closet, no less. Finally, with Manabu, there was their little lunchtime romp. The sooner those two were able to take on "outdoor" missions and give him a fucking break every now and then, the better...

Banishing such thoughts for now, Hiruzen turned to Tenzou. "Any more... unsavory gatherings, as of late?"

"Several," Tenzou sighed. "the villagers have been getting... enthusiastic, since word got out of another instructor's disappearance. Apparently, more than a few people are still very willing to jump to the conclusion that the twins did it."

Ironically, they were correct in that assumption. Even a broken clock _was_ right, twice a day, after all.

"We've dealt with them accordingly," the Supreme Captain added. "the latest batch is being executed for their crimes, as we speak."

"I want every ANBU we can trust working around the clock," the Hokage ordered. "we don't need anyone causing more damage than they already have."

"Understood, Hokage-Sama," Tenzou replied.

With that, Hiruzen redirected his attention to Shikaku, a battle-scarred man in his late thirties with dark eyes and black hair pulled back into a spiked ponytail. Konoha's Supreme General, and the most intelligent tactician in the country, this man was an odd combination of laid back and serious. Aside from that, his most distinguishing feature was the large, brown, tattered, sleeveless coat he currently wore over the more standard items of his Konoha military uniform.

To this man, the Hokage asked, "how many were you able to gather?"

Said man replied, "I got a force five-hundred-forty strong at the ready, sir.: two-hundred Genin, flat; one-hundred-twenty Chuunin; and two-hundred-twenty Jounin—one-hundred-sixteen of 'em are Tokubetsu, though. It was all I could muster."

In a village with an adult population impressively still managing to number just over eleven-thousand, that wasn't much... Granted, that number included the so-called Children of the Pit, but even they accounted for less than a tenth of it. That said, the men in Hiruzen's office were still looking at over nine-thousand people to keep track of. They had no doubt that someone was going to slip through the cracks...

* * *

That evening, in a disheveled tavern to the west, three men gathered around a table, surrounded by some less-that-savory savory members of ANBU.

The first and foremost among them was the ragtag group's... _legally_ unofficial leader, Terai. A "former" member of Danzou's Ne program, this man was an infamous one among the ninja forces, and had a reputation for being particularly good at getting away more than his fair share of bullshit, even for a ninja. He was garbed in a beige holocaust cloak with combat boots,black pants, and a ceremonial, porcelain cat mask, standing out out among the tree as the only one who showed no distinguishing features.

Next was an innkeeper who'd just gotten off work. Garbed in a blue and green uniform with a blue beret, this man's name was Riichi. True to his namesake, this man was but a moocher who sought the glory of ending the Semimaru Family. He didn't care who he hurt. He didn't care what happened to the other men present. He didn't care if the people he sought to lynch were innocent or not—he just wanted his fifteen minutes, and nothing was going to stop him from _getting it_.

Finally, there was Yajirobee, a Chuunin garbed in the standard black, blue and green uniform of Konoha's ninja forces, albeit with a helmet and goggles. But, despite appearing to be the one jackass throughout the whole damn village's military with enough sense to put a bucket on his brain box, this fucker, in particular, was still quite stupid. Perhaps it was out of his own stubbornness, perhaps it was sheer spite, but, this man somehow thought it was a good idea to be here.

It didn't matter to him how many people died trying to do what these men planning. It didn't matter that _thousands_ had failed over the years. It didn't matter that the Hokage, himself stood against these men. Yajirobee was determined to rid the world of the Semimaru Family, if it was the last thing he did!

"I'm glad you could make it," Terai stated, his deep voice producing a uncharacteristic boom for a ninja, in the wake of the previous silence."I'm sure you know why we're all here, yes?"

"Of course," Yajirobee replied impatiently. He just wanted to cut to the chase and kill these vermin as soon as possible. "So, what's the plan? Coordinating this many people without attracting unwanted attention's not an easy task."

There _were_ several-dozen of them, after all; no less than fifty, in fact, so that was indeed quite true.

"I'm aware of that," Terai commented, "it's why I feel it would be best if we split up and attacked this 'Pit' from multiple angles."

"Wouldn't that make us more vulnerable?" Riichi wasn't liking the sound of that. Then again, he was an innkeeper; not a ninja. That said, he was here more for his devotion and charisma than his tactical prowess. That, and he owned the tavern...

"Individually, yes," the ANBU admitted, "but, as a group, we are far less likely to be wiped out. Also, if the plan goes south, it'll be easier for the remainder of our group to retreat to safety."

Riichi scowled, still not liking it, but he knew Terai had a point. If they couldn't kill the Semimaru Family, someone else would.

Said ANBU then added, "rest assured; there will be a much-needed lynching. We'll just have to make due without the mob. We will split into teams of up to ten and attack, once the festival starts. Any questions?"

There were none.

* * *

Later that evening, in central Konoha, the streets were aglow in a fiery orange light, as the roar of a crowd and the smell of grilled foods filled the air. As was the usual for this time of year, the heart for Konohagakure no Sato was alive with joy and revelry.

In the Pit, however, tensions were high, as the citizenry hunkered down for the night and prepared to deal with any invaders. Words could not describe how much everyone there wished they could partake in the festivities like everyone else, but Konoha forsook them long ago.

The Children of the Pit, as they called themselves, would have to wait, before they could safely start having such celebrations of their own... at least for now.

Until then, several of them patrolled in the shadows. Having been trained by the mightiest of the Bijuu and the apprentice of the strongest among the Sannin, each one of these fifty men and women was indeed quite scary in his or her own right.

Despite all the pain and suffering Orochimaru's actions still cause her, Anko was forced to admit—even if _only_ to herself—that he was a damn good teacher, and she put every bit of his training to use in the creation of this task force.

At the helm, though, was the best tactician and Chakra sensor among them—Naruto. Anko was so proud of him; he was turning out to be quite the commander... though Nariko was no slouch, either.

It was just that the blonde in question tended to prefer commanding the commander.

That aside, as the night grew darker, many more joined the fray—upon putting their kids to bed and making sure their families were out of harm's way. There was twenty of them; mostly men, and Anko stood before them, pacing like a caged, ravenous beast, as she barked her orders.

"Now, listen up, maggots," Anko started, addressing the minutemen who had assembled and lined up before her like a drill instructor. "No less than one-hundred and sixty-two people have been executed for conspiracy to commit an unauthorized invasion of a foreign power and conspiracy to commit murder, over the past _afternoon_ in Konoha. That foreign power is us, and we have reason to believe that there are more to come. If so, they will be here, soon.

You will be split into five-man units and assigned a radio channel to communicate with your teammates. You'll find the commanders on channel four, if you need them, and you'll be assigned to sectors seven to ten.

If you spot an unfamiliar face in our territory, report it. If you see any suspicious gatherings, report it. If you see something that falls under JDLR, report it. If you so much as feel like you're being _watched_ , report it!" Anko then stopped pacing and looked at the minutemen, speaking to them with a dead serous look in her eye. "The lives of our brothers and sisters; of our sins and daughters; of our _friends_ and _family_ are a stake, here! We can't afford to take any chances! Am I _clear_?!"

The thunder of twenty voices replied, "yes ma'am!"

Nodding in satisfaction, the former apprentice barked, "move out!"

Once everything was in order, and the newest additions to the task force ran off to do just that, Anko let out a tired sigh.

Then, a feminine voice asked, "Stress getting to you?"

It was Reiko.

"Just a bit," the purple-head admitted. She then felt the other woman's arms wrap around her from behind.

"I can't say I blame you." Reiko said, "but there is little need to worry. Our kids have a plan, and even if we do get another invasion, the live sacrifices will only make it easier to perform."

There was a flash in Anko's eye, as she asked, "so that's why they want any invaders brought back alive."

"As many as can be managed, yes."

* * *

 **Several moments later...**

* * *

All was uncharacteristically silent in the pit, as the night went on, despite the festivities just a little farther up north. It was ten-o'-clock, and still, nothing seemed to be happening. But appearances were known to deceive.

Slinking about the shadows was a bespectacled, green-eyed redhead with short hair and a slender frame. He was garbed in black and dark blue, woolen makeshift tactical gear and soft-sole shoes, making it easier to move about silently. This boy was Ariwara Kotohiko, and he wasn't liking what he was seeing.

With the aid of the scouting technique he'd learned from Anko, the Eyes of the Hawk, this young man spied three groups of ten intruders, two groups of seven, and two more of five encroaching upon the Pit.

The smallest groups looked to be scouting the area from the north. The sevens were approaching from the sides at a slower pace, and the remaining tens were sitting idly at the border. Scattered about the areas they occupied, these groups appeared to be serving as reinforcements.

Speaking into the mic in his sleeve, Kotohiko whispered, "got ten heads in two groups on the double at twelve, with seven at two and ten. The slackers are staying put."

* * *

It was too quiet... Where was everyone? There was supposed to be over a _thousand_ low-lives in this shithole! As they slunk about, trying not to make any noise along the way, Riichi and those with him were getting nervous. Had they been expected?

These hapless chucklefucks were the party arriving from the east, and as even the sound of their footsteps seemed to grow quieter, they only became more and more anxious. But, still; there were seven of them, with four of them being ANBU, no less! That was a good number, right?

Right?

 _RIGHT?!_

Again, the sound of footsteps went down a notch. Now, Riichi could only hear his own. Startled by this realization, he turned around, saw no one, and panicked.

"Sakuya," he called out. There was no answer. "Fumiko, Yuuma, someone!" He turned to his intercom. "Terai," he said, "something's wrong. My teammates—"

"—are dead," a voice replied on the speaker. Then, that same voice whispered directly into his ear, "you're next."

Riichi's scream was muffled by the orange-gloved hand on his mouth. Then, suddenly, he found himself in a warehouse. No longer was he in the alley he'd previously occupied, and he knew not how. He _cared_ not how! He wanted to get away. He needed to fight back. He needed to do _something_! But, when the hand on his face glowed with a blinding, white aura, he screamed, again; feeling as if the life was being painfully ripped from his very being in an instant. Then, just before he blacked out the last thing his mind registered was a sharp, hot pain across his lower neck.

He was dead before he hit the ground, never noticing the circular array of elaborate glyphs upon it.

Naruto stood there for a moment, eyeballing his handiwork, as the innkeeper lay in a pool of his own blood. Killing this pathetic fucker felt better than it probably should have. But, he had a job to do/

Putting his previous thoughts aside, the blond then vanished in a swirl of blue petals.

* * *

Meanwhile, in the center of the Pit, Nariko sat unusually still before a broken courtyard fountain in a lotus position. Naruto stood behind her, arms in the air, as multiple clones flickered into existence around them. Each clone placed a bloody kunai in one of five rows before dissolving into a swirl of rose petals that flowed into their caster's sleeves in a spectacular display.

When all was said and done,five rows of ten kunai laid around the twins in an interlocking pattern. Then, eight more of Naruto's clones flickered on in, four of them occupied the corners of the shabby courtyard with one prisoner each.

One of those captives was Terai, the remaining were the other three strongest ninja among the invaders.

The other four clones waited in between, as the previous placed white-glowing hands upon their captives, eliciting screams that could only come from the greatest of agony. Then, those those wails were cut short, as their throats were torn open by the clones' free hands.

In the meantime, the other four clones prepared for the blood with a wind technique, guiding it and arranging it into a series of glyphs with the waves of their hands. When they were done with that, Naruto raised his hands once more and all eight of his clones melted into swirls of rose petals, absorbed back into his body like the rest. In their wake was a two-layered array of bloody seals.

Then, those symbols turned an inky black, as four white-gloved hands shot from the ground and grabbed the fresh corpses by the ankles, pulling them down into the earth with sudden, simultaneous swirls of lava. Once the carcasses had been fully engulfed, these tornadoes of molten rock sank back into the earth from whence the came like water down a drain, mysteriously leaving not a trace in their wake.

Beneath the surface, dozens upon dozens of cooled magma pockets started heating up, as Nariko furiously went through a rapid series of hand seals. Each and every last one of these deposits was a last remnant of what happened to a hapless sap who'd wronged the twins or two... or three... or dozen. Now, these reminders of wasted existence were finally be given a legitimate purpose.

Once the pockets were completely liquefied, they flowed outwards and formed a lumpy, vaguely bean-shaped ring beneath the still-fresh corpses of fifty men and women, lining the like-shaped border of the Pit. These poor saps had chosen the wrong turf to invade, and now, they were about to unwittingly aid in making it far more difficult for anyone to try this shit again.

Naruto then put his hand on Nariko's head, feeding her all the Chakra he'd drained from their tributes, and, like a ripple in a lake, the outer layer of their seal array expanded outwards, melding to the shape of the Pit's borderline. It came to a stop just outside of the subterranean ring, and just before the very edge of the Pit's outer border.

Thanks to all the Chakra Naruto was feeding her, Nariko found all that to be remarkably easy.

Next up, the array's inner layer radiated out and reshaped itself to join the its partner, stopping just before the ring of rapidly-hearing magma. Once that was done, the two layers sifted in form, extending to various points resembling fangs—the outer layer's protrusions pointing back towards the twins, while the inner's pointed forth and away.

Right behind the array, the minutemen keeping watch could hear the attention that these crawling glyphs had garnered, but payed them no heed, just yet.

Nariko let out a deep, cleansing breath. This was it; the moment of truth.

Seeing his sister's anxious, Naruto rubbed her scalp, causing her to purr.

Nariko thanked him for the comfort with a smile, and blazed through ten more hand signs. Then, as an incantation to aid in her grand technique's casting, she declared its name in the ancient tongue of the Six Path Sage, "Dai Yougan Chifuuin no Hijutsu: Senkon no Taiga!"

The blonde's slit, cerulean eyes turned a bright, fiery orange, and the irises started to glow, as a black aura violently burst out from her like a blazing, dark inferno. Then, the seal array's inner layer expanded, and the outer retracted, closing in on the subterranean river like a great, ravenous maw. Fifty jets of lava immediately followed bursting from the ground and gushing high in rapid succession, as they devoured the corpses of the so many tributes. Finally, as if the Gods, themselves, were playing Connect the Dots, the ground collapsed to create a mighty gorge and accommodate the now-ever-flowing moat of lava that formed within it.

As a result of all this, though, a tremor could be felt throughout the village. It wasn't big, but it was noticeable—as were those spurts of lava—thus leaving more than a few people just a bit concerned... just a fucking _bit_.

But, that didn't matter to the twins, right now, as Naruto caught his collapsing sister. Even with his help, fifty-four live sacrifices, the stolen Chakra reserves of said tributes, three soldier pills, and several hours of preparation, casting that shit took a _lot_ out of her. That gorge their new moat now occupied was fifty feet wide, twenty deep, and stretched over a ten _mile_ circumference, for fuck's sake! Of course a technique of such a massive scale would not have been easy!

Nariko wasn't the only one feeling drained though. Naruto had given her most of his Chakra, on top of all that he'd absorbed from the tributes.

Speaking into the mic on his sleeve, Naruto called for help. "Kisara," he said, "fall back. We need your assistance. Everyone else, stay on high alert. I want a bulwark erected around the perimeter, until we can establish something more... permanent."

* * *

Not much later, Hiruzen and several ANBU found themselves staring in nervous astonishment at the _giant river of lava_ that had not been there, minutes ago. Seriously, where the fuck did it even come form?! This discovery was understandably more than just a bit unsettling...

Only more so was that the Chakra senors they'd brought with had fallen to their knees in crippling shock and horror, seeming unable to come any closer.

On the other side stood Reiko, feeling just a little more amused by their reactions than she probably should've been. She was flanked by Kuukaku and Setsuka, as usual, along with several-dozen minutemen. Anko was there, too, though the twins were nowhere to be seen.

"What the hell?!" The Hokage was clearly not amused, as he demanded to know, "why is there a moat of lava around the Pit?"

Setsuka handed Reiko a megaphone, and the white-haired roman replied. "In light of the most recent invasion," she stated, "we felt the need to... insert a new security feature. Please note that the only damage done in the process was kept within our own borders. There is nothing to worry about."

The hell there was nothing to worry about! Hiruzen took a calming breath. Then, receiving a megaphone from Tenzou, the Hokage asked, "an invasion?"

"Fifty-four men and women," Reiko confirmed, "mostly ninja."

"Where are they?" Hiruzen quickly found himself palming his face when Reiko answered his question by pointing at the molten river. In hindsight, that should have been obvious.

"Rest assured," Reiko added, "we will be adding a drawbridge, shortly, and continue doing business with Konoha. We just want to deter any idiots with torches and pitchforks, while we're at it. Please do carry on with your festival. We'd all like the opportunity to sit down and enjoy the fireworks, I'm sure."

"We will discuss this in the morning," the Hokage replied. It was late; he was too tired for this shit. So, with a sigh, Hiruzen handed the megaphone back to Tenzou, who tucked it away... somewhere.

Come to think of it, where _was_ he even keeping that? Reiko had anticipated the need for one, for obvious reasons. He hadn't.

Yeah... that aside, Hiruzen turned and walked away, whispering his orders to Tenzou. "Leave a team behind to keep watch and make sure no one falls into that damn thing."

"Understood, Hokage-Sama," the Supreme Captain responded with a nod.

* * *

A while later, Nariko groaned, her eyes fluttering open. She winced at the pounding headache, but then, it went away and she turned beet red, when she realized where she was.

Sitting atop the roof of a tall apartment complex near the northern border of the Pit, Naruto held his sister in his lap. His legs swung idly, as they dangled off the edge, and he held Nariko tightly in a protective embrace.

Nariko muttered, "how long was I out?"

"Not sure..." Naruto replied, "more than an hour... maybe two?"

"Did it work?" Having passed out, upon its casting, Nariko had no way of knowing if her greatest technique had been a success or not.

Her brother smiled. "Spectacularly."

The younger twin smiled back and placed a hand on his shoulder, nuzzling his neck. "Good." She then started to purr, opting to just stay put and enjoy her brother's company.

Naruto's smile only widened. It was rare to see him so happy, and doing so brought a greater joy to Nariko.

Then, Naruto let out a curious grunt, prompting his sister to raise an eyebrow. "It would seem they have started the fireworks, after all," he explained.

Nariko turned her attention to where her brother was looking, the moment she heard a distant bang. The girl was immediately mesmerized at the bright, blue burst of light. It was so pretty! Then, another shot up and popped, letting loose a burst of red upon the midnight sky for the twins to enjoy.

It had been too long... Not since Shoki left, had the twins been able to just sit down and watch the fireworks that came this time of year.

Naruto hugged his sister, once more, and Nariko wrapped her arms around his neck. More fireworks shot off, their pace becoming more rapid, and the golden-haired twins shared a short, loving kiss, before turning to the sky and enjoying the show.

* * *

 **...and, that is that, at least for now! :)**

 **That was an odd beast to write, I must say. Got stuck more than once, and I feel like I should've had more going on. Oh, well... Maybe I'll revisit that notion, someday. But, for now, I'm happy with it. :)**

* * *

 **Trivia:**

 **Onee-Chan is a cutesy way of saying "big sister" in Japanese.**

 **As a reminder, Konoha is the Japanese word for Leaf, which is why people from Konohagakure no Sato, the Village Hidden among the Leaves, tend to be referred to as "Leafies" by the Children of the Pit.**

 **Dai Yougan Chifuuin no Hijutsu: Senkon no Taiga is my best attempt at translating the name "Secret Art of the Great Lava Blood Seal: River of a Thousand Souls" to Japanese, based mostly on educated guesswork.**

* * *

 **Finally, I would like to thank everyone for their support! I must say, the response I got when posting this fic was nothing short of overwhelming. I'm not joking, the first two days after doing so were spent thanking everyone I could for all the favorites and follows... and accidentally getting flagged for spam. Oops? Eh-heh.**

 **If I failed to thank you in a PM, because I am human, and, thus very capable of fucking up, I apologize and thank you, there and now! You guys are all fucking awesome! :)**

 **As for the story, this arc isn't over yet. Still gotta deal with team assignment, establishing who passed and who didn't, and few more things, before kicking off the "Missions" arc. The final chapter, however, might take a while, as Valentine's Day is popping up, and I have a fiancee to spoil... not that I mind. =3**

 **I also have a lotta shit to update. My profile is looking ancient, I've got two more sites to post this on, some more editing to do, and I've gotta start working on using my DA account, so I can start using that for status reports.**

 **I won't stop writing this, though, if I can help it. Even if I'm forced to update sporadically, I'm hoping to have the whole fic done by the end of summer. Let us all hope for the best, eh? :)**

 **Until then, I hope you all have a good one! :)**


	8. Chapter 7

**First off, I must apologize for how horribly long it took for me to update. Got a lotta shit on my plate, but writing this is actually quite therapeutic, so I'm glad to have this hobby. =3 Updates have slowed, but they will continue!**

* * *

 **That aside, it has also come to my attention that the character Pakura does have a back story. To be fair, it popped up long after I stopped giving a shit about the main series and was just giving the general plot a passing look, every now and then... Trying to see if it would redeem itself, y'know? That said, it's easy to see why I missed this little detail.**

 **This back story, however, does work in my favor, as one could easily wonder what might've happened after she survived the ambush, if she had. How would she feel? How would she react? These are good questions, and they have given me much inspiration. =3**

 **Thank you to the anonymous guest who pointed out the details I missed, thus prompting me to look them up.**

 **Another reviewer I'd like to thank, in particular, is Have a Little Feith for pointing out that I was using the word "chic" incorrectly. It is hard to learn from a mistake I can't identify, so such criticism is more than welcome... so long as it's civil, of course, lol.**

 **Many thanks to all who took the time outta their day to read, favorite, follow and/or comment on my fic! Every little bit helps, and keeps me going, motivating me to continue practicing and perfecting my craft! :)**

 **Also, be ye warned: lemons are on the plate!**

 **That all aside, let us begin, eh? :)**

* * *

 **Twisted Bonds: the Ultimate Sin**

 **Arc Two: the Genin Exams  
Chapter Four: Aftermath**

* * *

Nariko groaned and muttered incoherently, as she lifted herself off the bed. Damn, it had been _ages_ since the last time she'd slept so peacefully! That would take some getting used to, but it was nice. She yawned loudly and looked over to her sleeping brother.

Nariko couldn't help but giggle. He was just so cute! She leaned down to lick his cheek, but stopped. Memories of the previous nights tickled the back of her mind, encouraging her to... reward her brother for all he's done. Nariko then grinned and ducked under the covers.

Soon after, Naruto groaned, waking to a gentle touch that could only belong to his sister. Her lips did their magic upon his waking shaft, her calloused hands softly caressing and rubbing in all the right places.

"Imouto-Sama," he groaned. It didn't take him long to start gripping the sheets, as Nariko worked her magic on him.

Under the covers, said blonde giggled at her brother's reaction. Then, she put more effort into it, looking to mercilessly throw him over the edge as quickly as she could.

Naruto cried out in pleasure at his sister's actions. He couldn't help but lose himself, when her rough, sandpaper tongue tenderly caressed the point just beneath his lower head. Then, he went cross-eyed, when he felt her swallow his shaft, letting him into her throat, before pulling back, bobbing her head a few times, and doing it again... and again... and again.

When Nariko felt her brother twitch, she started to purr, keeping her lips wrapped around the head, as she pumped the shaft and massaged Naruto's balls.

The blond never stood a chance.

Naruto went stiff and grunted loudly. His eyes bugged out and his knuckles went white, as he gripped the sheets and shot his load onto Nariko's waiting tongue.

The girl in question moaned happily, enjoying the taste. She then placed her thumb and forefinger at the base of her brother's shaft and slid her hand up, squeezing out the very last drops of his ejaculation. Upon licking the semen off Naruto's head, Nariko sat up, the blankets sliding off her back. They came to rest at her rear, it revealed her bare, scarred, and tattooed back to the world.

The images etched into her skin were of human skulls and blue roses wreathed in black and red-orange flames, all surrounding a depiction of Shinigami with his arms spread in a cruciform stance; a dagger in one hand, a string of prayer beads in the other. She didn't wear the full bodysuit some would expect from her... connections, though. In fact, the tattoos were confined to Nariko's upper-and-mid-back. But, this area was almost completely covered, and that, alone, was more than enough to send a message, around these parts—an unseen warning to those who opposed her.

Returning to the blonde, herself, she smirked at her panting brother, only turned on by how good she was at wrapping him around her finger. Then, she opened up, showing him the large, white deposit in her mouth, before tilting her head back and swallowing the semen with an audible gulp.

Naruto found himself growing painfully hard at the lump going down his sister's throat. But, she was thankfully not done, just yet.

She couldn't explain it, but Nariko needed her man inside her so badly, right now. She didn't know why, but she didn't care. All that mattered, right now, was that they were alone, they were naked, and they had plenty of time before they had to put a start to their soon-to-be busy day.

Naruto's eyes went wide, knowing the feral expression his sister was giving him quite well. Then, his sister crawled forth and the blond could smell a faint, sweet scent coming from her. There was no mistaking it; he knew that scent, somehow. He didn't know where or why, but, he did, and it immediately drove him nearly mad.

Nariko purred, as her brother's pale, blue eyes started turning a demonic orange. It wasn't often that Naruto's wild side came to the surface. But, when it did, she tended to love every second. Nariko's eyes started burning a bright orange of their own and their eyes met. Almost immediately, the boy looked down and the girl giggled.

"Good boy," Nariko purred. Then, she guided Naruto's shaft to the moistening point between her legs.

This wasn't to be just any romp, though. No, the twins were being driven by a more primal urge than even the simple pleasures of the flesh. They didn't know it at the time, but their instincts; their very _souls_ screamed for something more.

Nariko sank down her brother's shaft, groaning loudly, and savored every inch along the way. Her inner walls parted and stretched to accommodate an old friend, while the sensation of being filled in her beastly state sent shivers up the blonde's spine.

Naruto's hands went straight to his sister's hips, and his moved upwards on their own; rising with Nariko's descent, until they joined at the center.

Both of the Semimaru-Uzumaki twins stayed put for but a moment, savoring the feel of their union, before starting to move, again. By instinct, alone, their motions immediately found themselves in nigh-perfect unison. Nariko put her hands on Naruto's chest, swaying her hips slowly, and Naruto bucked his, thrusting deep within her.

Nariko couldn't help but start purring, again. It just felt too damn good! Every inch within her was ablaze with a deep, burning desire, and she wanted more!

Naruto grunted and moaned at the sensations. His sister's soft inner folds felt like a warm, cozy hearth, heating him to the very core on this nippy, winter morning. It wasn't long, before he was short of breath, again. Every fiber of his being screamed at him to inseminate this woman on top of him; to plant his genes far inside her womb; to try and _breed_ with her!

"I... can't hold it... for long," Naruto stressed, barely able to speak. Words could not describe how much he wanted to just do it.

Another shiver went up Nariko's spine, and her inner walls started to flutter around the now-twitching shaft within her, at the very thought of being filled with her brother's hot load. Turned on even more, Nariko looked her brother in the eye and hissed, "don't you dare waste a _fucking_ drop!"

Naruto's eyes rolled back and he let out a loud grunt, as he thrust upwards into Nariko's folds. Pulling her hips down to his, the young man hit his sister's cervix and released a harsh torrent directly into her womb.

For the first time in years, Nariko came so hard that she actually squealed. Her inner walls squeezed the life out of her bother's pulsating shaft and a splash of her juices coated his lap. The sensation of her brother's wet heat shooting into her, spurt after massive spurt, was almost too much to bear. She felt lightheaded. She literally saw stars. How long _had_ it been since she last came this hard?

Naruto gently rolled to the side and laid his sister on her back, so he could pull out without having to worry about any of his deposit leaking back out. While he was at it, the blond took a moment to admire Nariko's pleasured expression. She looked drunk... and kinda cute. He couldn't help but smile at that.

But, eventually, Nariko returned to the land of the living, as it were, and blinked the swirling colors from her eyes. It had been far too long long since the blonde was this satisfied. Letting out a playful growl, she rolled onto all fours and crawled up to him with an impish grin. Shoving Naruto onto his back and eliciting a surprised yelp, she rubbed her cheek onto his chest. Then, she laid down right on top of him, got comfy, and let out a happy sigh.

Naruto wrapped his hands around his sister with another smile upon his face. Enjoying the rare, tender moment, he let out a warm chuckle, as Nariko started to purr once more.

Both twins sincerely hoped they could finally start relaxing and share more moments like this.

"I love you," Nariko muttered happily.

Naruto rubbed her back and replied, "I love you, too, Imouto-Sama."

Nariko's purrs got louder as she enjoyed her brother's warm embrace. Listening to the hypnotic rhythm of Naruto's heartbeat, the blonde couldn't help but get lost in the moment.

* * *

Meanwhile, just a bit north of the Pit, a sizable group of Uchiha and Hyuuga clansmen marched down to the River of Death—as it had quickly found itself being labeled, over the past two days. The group was over two-hundred strong, and they were here to send a message... one that was far from subtle; one that made it clear how much they gave a shit about the flack they'd undoubtedly face for this declaration.

The creation of this giant river of lava had left a political shit storm in its wake, and as a result, many things had been delayed, until everyone calmed the fuck down about it. Not the least of these were ninja academy's graduation ceremony, team placement meeting, and final test—all of which were supposed to be taking place, tomorrow.

Unfortunately... and understandably, throughout Konoha, thousands of concerned citizens demanded answers, while Namida, the academy's headmistress, was needed to attend the resulting council meetings. On top of that, several of the instructors had been pulled out to help keep the peace, leading to the lack of manpower which had caused these postponements.

In short, the people of Konoha were scared... for an admittedly-good reason, this time. The overnight creation of such a massive landmark should _not_ have been something the Children of the Pit were capable of!

But, the Uchiha and Hyuuga Clans were allies of the Pit, and to be perfectly fair, they would've done the same damn thing, if they could, had they been in the Childrens' position. Granted, their new-found status as "demon sympathizers" was resulting in considerable backlash, but they were able to handle it quite cheerfully.

While the Hyuuga hadn't necessarily needed any help from the Pit to do so, the assistance they were due to get was more than welcome.

The Uchiha, however were in a more... complicated position on the matter. The reason for this was that the Pit was unabashedly run by former international criminals that many of their kin had shed blood, sweat and tears to apprehend and lock away for life: Semimaru Reiko, Shiba Kuukaku, and a woman named Setsuka—no surname, though she did have several monikers.

That said, many among her clansmen were vehemently opposed to Mikoto's allegiance. But, the twins had saved her daughter form a life of slavery, at the end of the day. On top of that, they were the children of her childhood friend. She owed the brats _and_ Kushina a debt that simply could not be repaid—the former for their deeds, the latter for Mikoto's own failure to protect them—but, that was _not_ going to stop her from trying her damnedest!

There were those among her kin who sympathized with her, though, and through them, the brunette was able to retain her seat of power. Words could not describe how grateful she was. Only through these clansmen was Mikoto able to honor her debts and redeem herself for failing Kushina so badly.

Said clan head let out a sigh, eliciting a concerned glance from her daughter.

"You okay, Okaa-San?"

"Yeah," Mikoto replied, "just a little... hesitant."

The two Uchiha maidens walked in silence for the duration of the trip, not knowing what to say. On the bright side, it didn't take long for them to reach their destination... mainly because most of the people in the surrounding area were not feeling inclined to piss off two of the village's founding families.

Oh, and what a destination it was... Shizuka couldn't but help but stare. The gorge really _was_ as big as they said. Emanating beyond it was a sound of construction work that could be heard for miles. There was a soon-to-be electric fence twenty feet from the "River's" outer edge, and lining the inner one, stood an undoubtedly temporary bulwark of earth and wood. But, progress on the stone wall due to replace the latter could _already_ be seen.

Being of high birth and pampered as she was, Shizuka found it hard to see these Children of the Pit as much more than bottom-feeders... with Naruto as the sole exception, obviously. But, even _she_ had to admit they were remarkably efficient. On top of that, these new security features were nothing short of indisputably badass, so credit where it was due.

"Ah, you're early," a feminine voice chirped. It was Semimaru Reiko, the "Lady" of the Pit. Flanked by her usual entourage of Kuukaku and Setsuka, the one-eyed woman approached the heads of the Hyuuga and Uchiha clans to address them more directly. "Come, we have much to discuss and I think we'd all prefer to do so away from the harsher elements... among other things."

"Indeed," Hiashi replied with a respectful nod. Granted, he'd be the first to admit that such esteem was of the grudging variety, but it was earned, nonetheless. This woman had come a long way since Shoki dug her out of prison.

Across the moat, a man pulled down on a crank connected to a wooden cart. There was a loud crash, and a makeshift, folding drawbridge came down, kicking a cloud of dirt up upon impact. Then, the momentum of the large, oaken mass caused its folded half to drop with a bang and another dust cloud.

"Do forgive the shabby look," Reiko commented with a sort bow. "we only had a day to erect that. We'll be replacing it with something more... appealing in due time."

Two men by the fence then tied the bridge down with thick, hempen ropes to a series of pre-hammered stakes. Afterwards, a shorter, lighter man ran across and locked the hinges by slipping four iron bars into a series of rings for stability. All-in-all, it was quite the impressive display of ingenuity, especially given the short amount of time the Children of the Pit had to prepare.

"Please note that this bridge is designed to collapse under a load of one-thousand pounds or more," Reiko pointed out. "We felt that providing a quick and easy way to cross for a large group of people would defeat the purpose of the River until further notice."

Hiashi nodded and signaled for a man of his clan with short, black hair to get everyone organized.

This man was Kou of the Cadet Branch. His black, bristly locks were currently mushed under an armor-plated bandanna with a symbol engraved in the center that was _supposed_ to resemble a leaf, but Kishimito's apparent swirl fetish left the damn thing looking like a snail that fell on its ass.

This was the village crest of Konoha, and this man's dark green flack jacket made it clear that he was an officer in said village's military.

Bowing before Hiashi, Kou obeyed the silent order, putting the experience gained from his rank to good use in organizing the entourage.

"Natsu," Kou called out. "You go first."

The woman in question was Hyuuga Natsu of the her clan's Cadet Branch. She was young and petite, but a dangerous, little bugger, nonetheless.

Then again, the Hyuuga Clan's Juuken fighting style tended to make them so.

Aesthetically, she had chin-length, dark green hair and paler eyes than usual for a member of her clan, which was saying something. On her forehead was a metal-plated headband engraved with the village crest of Konoha, and she wore a white, frilly apron over a simple, black dress, implying that she was specifically one of the Hyuuga Clan's maids. But, all that wasn't too important, at the moment, as the woman in question stopped dead in her tracks and fell to her knees, before even getting close to the fence, let alone the drawbridge.

She could _feel_ them...

Natsu had heard many a tale of Chakra sensors like her collapsing, entirely; unable to even approach this "River of a Thousand Souls," as the Children of the Pit allegedly called it... and now, she believed every claim she'd heard.

It was as if _countless_ men and women could be felt within the gorge. Their spirits screamed in pure agony, as the river fed upon them, somehow sustaining each one in tern, so they could continue to fuel it. The sensation was nothing short of overwhelming... of horrific... of disturbing beyond measure!

Never in her life had Natsu wanted to hurl so badly.

While undoubtedly ingenious in design, it was equally insane... if not more so. Who or _what_ could've possibly come up with the technique required to create such a monstrosity; such a _stain_ upon the earth, itself?!

"Oi!" Mikoto called out to the woman in concern, noticing the Hyuuga's distress. "are you okay?"

"Y-yes," Natsu replied struggling to nod and regain her composure. "My apologies. I was just... taken aback." She crouched there panting, insisting that she didn't need assistance from those of her kin who'd rushed to her side. Then, she took several calming breaths, stood up, and straightened up. She was a Hyuuga—one of the Cadet Branch, true, but of Hyuuga blood, nonetheless! She got this!

Yes, she totally had this in the bag, Natsu reasoned, marching on over to the bridge in a brisk, even stride. She just needed to straighten up her spine, pull her shoulders back, dull her senses, and ignore the wailing souls of countless victims screaming for mercy as the river of lava put them in a state of constant, unimaginable agony.

She could _totally_ do that! So Natsu did.

Just ignore them and carry on! Easy-peasy, liver-cheesy! Did she get that right? She wasn't quite sure, and it sounded quite gross, to be honest. But, she got this! See? She was already half-way across the bridge with no trouble at all! She totally... ain't got this...

SHIT!

"Urk!" The Hyuuga maid's knees suddenly buckled. An overwhelming wave of nausea overcame her and she poked her head over the side of the bridge, introducing the tormented souls to her sizable breakfast.

Serves you right, ya bastards! What did she ever do to you?!

Poor Natsu groaned pitifully. She couldn't stay on here any longer or she would go insane. The screaming the, the feeling of utter dread, the very sensation of their torment... it was all just too much for her!

Thankfully, the other Cadets who had started crossing with her got the message, making way for a particularly burly one to scoop her up in a bridal carry and make the rest of the trip for her.

Under typical circumstances, Natsu would've been embarrassed and likely a bit irritated. She _did_ have an image to uphold as one of the Cadet Branch's best, after all. This was precisely why she was hand-picked and groomed to be the personal handmaiden of the Clan Head, himself.

But, at the end of the day, these were not typical circumstances...

Back with the others, Mikoto addressed a lanky, young Chuunin from her own clan. "Tatsuki," she said, referring to the younger woman by name.

The woman in question was fifteen; an early graduate who'd bumped up a rank, less than a year after being enrolled in the armed forces. Her black hair was short and spiky, her eyes were of the same hue, and she was garbed in simple, casual attire of white and pale blue.

"Hmmm?" Tatsuki looked at Mikoto questioningly.

"What happened?" The Uchiha Matriarch was no sensor, so she didn't know why they all seemed to be affected in such a way by the moat.

Off to the side, Shizuka perked up, equally curious.

Tatsuki winced. "Right," she sighed. "You remember how Chakra's made from combining your spiritual and physical energies?"

Mikoto raised an eyebrow at that, but nodded. "Of course."

"Well, sensor class ninja like myself and Natsu are able to detect Chakra, because of our connection to the second plane, allowing us to sense spirits. That's how we're also able to tell if someone's lying and detect emotions, even from a distance. We just... feel it in their souls, as cheesy as that sounds."

Mikoto raised an eyebrow at that. Then, it clicked. "So you can sense the people who were thrown into the moat, then?"

Tatsuki winced, again. "They weren't just thrown in; they were used to create it." Had that not been the case, their souls would've simply crossed over upon their deaths. But, there, they were; trapped within the moat and enduring unspeakable agony for as long as the seal network sustaining the technique remained unbroken.

Mikoto's eyes widened at that. "How many?"

"Too many to to count without being overwhelmed." Tatsuki shuddered. "Several-hundred, at least."

"Can't you turn it off?" Upon getting an odd look from the sensor, Mikoto explained, "your sensory, I mean."

"Kind of?" Tatsuki struggled for a moment, seeking a good way to explain it. "It's like tuning out a loud noise? Sure, it's possible, but only to an extent."

"I see..." Mikoto frowned. "In that case, I'll need you to stay with Kou-San."

Tatsuki frowned. "Are you sure?"

"I can fend for myself," Mikoto replied with a smile. "There's no need to make you suffer through that. See what you can do to help out on this side."

"Understood, Mikoto-Sama..." Tatsuki sighed, doing her best to hide her irritation. As both a tomboy and an Uchiha, she didn't like feeling coddled or underestimated. But for all her pride, this kid knew better than to piss off the head of her clan.

* * *

Not long afterwards, Nariko stretched and yawned. Now fully clothed in her usual attire, she was ready for the day. The sun was up, the cool, winter air nibbled at her nose, and the afterglow of that morning made her forget how _not_ to smile... even if only for a moment. All in all, this was looking like the start of a very nice day.

Letting out a satisfied chuckle, the blonde turned to her brother and asked, "so, what's the plan?"

"Technically, we don't need to perform community service until we've graduated," Naruto replied, locking the door to their apartment behind him.

'Twas a quaint, little hovel in the center of the complex. It was nothing fancy; hell, one might even say it _looked_ rather shitty, but the twins' little "warren" got the job done. That's what mattered. They would have to move, soon, though, as a studio simply wouldn't do for much longer.

"We also still have a few hours, before we have to attend the meeting," he added. "Shall we collect Yoshiko, while we wait?"

Nariko's smile widened. "Oh, you _know_ the answer to that one, you silly man." She then grabbed him by his coat and kissed him square on the mouth, before turning on her heel and skipping on over to the front gate.

Naruto couldn't help but chuckle, sensing his sister's enthusiasm. Today was, indeed, looking to be rather nice, albeit just as busy.

* * *

Moments later, the twins were headed east to their destination, only to stop, as they noticed a mishmash of familiar and unfamiliar scents in the air. It grew ever-so-slightly stronger, as time went by, indicating the approach of its source.

"Looks like they're about as early as expected," Nariko mused. Then, she looked over her shoulder and smiled to Naruto. "May as well say 'hi' along the way."

The young man in question shrugged and they were off.

It didn't take long for the two parties to catch sight of each other. Naruto and Nariko then picked up the pace, jogging up to stop greet Reiko.

"Oh, hello, there," the one-eyed woman greeted them with a smile, which the twins cheerfully returned. "Off to fetch Yoshiko, I take it?"

'Yup," Nariko chirped. "You have no idea how much I've missed her!"

"Who the hell's Yoshiko?" Among the group of Uchiha and Hyuuga—mostly Hyuuga—Shizuka couldn't help but mutter that, the curiosity getting to her. The name was a feminine one, as far as she could tell. Was this another girl Shizuka had to compete with? It seemed unlikely, considering what Nariko had just said, but if not, then who was— "Ow!"

The Uchiha heiress's train of thought was swiftly interrupted, as Mikoto gave her a light swat upside the head for asking so rudely.

"She is the reason we were held back for two years," Naruto answered politely, only leaving Shizuka with more questions.

Now, Hinata was curious, too. As she poked her head out from behind Hiashi, Naruto could practically _see_ the question marks floating around her cute, little noggin.

The blond smiled, before stepping forward and addressing Reiko. "Shall we be attending the meeting early, then?"

Reiko shrugged. "We'll see," she replied. "It depends on how quickly we can get the heiresses situated."

"Fair enough," Nariko chimed in. "See ya around, eh?"

"Indeed," Reiko replied. Then, she chuckled, as the blonde nodded and bolted off, circling around the still-sizable group and kept heading east.

Naruto then bowed respectfully. "I hope you find the apartment to your liking. The complex looks rather shabby on the outside, but it is among the best in the area. Fair well!" With that, he melted into a swirl of blue rose petals, flickering off to catch up with his sister.

Reiko let out a happy sigh. It always pleased her to see those two in such a cheerful mood. "Right," she said, addressing the party, "let us get moving, then, shall we?"

Back with Nariko, Naruto reappeared right next to her, running alongside the blonde, as they hurried over to another complex. Soon, they came to a stop before it. This one was notably smaller and less conspicuous than most within the Pit. What stood out the most about it, though, was the sheer amount of security.

Specifically, there were several minutemen posted throughout the area, with even a small contingent of them spread out among several of the rooftops. These men and women were so spread out, however, that most outsiders would assume they were guarding the perimeter of a larger, more impressive building, nearby. But, Naruto and Nariko knew better.

Aside from all that, though, the complex didn't stand out that much, being but a simple two-story building in notable disrepair. The pavement was cracked, the bushes and trees needed a good watering... hell, the only things that seemed to be remotely well off were the aloe vera plants flanking the doorway to the main office. But, those damn things were nigh-indestructible, so that wasn't saying much...

Nariko bit her lip. She had waited so long to be able to do this...

Naruto grabbed her hand, sensing his sister's feelings—a whirlwind of anxiousness and enthusiasm; of joy, of uncertainty, and so much more. When she looked at him, he smiled, causing her to smile back and they approached the building, too distracted by their thoughts to notice the guards greeting them with deep, respectful bows.

* * *

It didn't take long for Reiko her entourage to reach the very same apartment complex the twins had just come from, not too long ago: the Black Leaf Estate—so named by Shoki, herself upon it being the first bit of property to splinter off from Hi no Kuni, and thus Konoha.

The Uchiha and Hyuuga took a moment to take in the estate's appearance as they passed the front gate.

This establishment was rather large, actually; sporting multiple buildings, presumably surrounding a large courtyard, all within a ten-foot high stone wall. Like most of the Pit, is was in notable disrepair; cracked pavement, boarded windows and dead plants were seen all throughout. But, most of the residents milling about looked pretty happy, nonetheless, and... cleaner than expected.

Once the party entered the main building, though, the Hyuuga and Uchiha clansmen were all in for a surprise.

Not a speck of dust could be found within the cozy room. The hearth on the back wall was well maintained, and the crackling of its flame had an oddly soothing sound to it—an unusually loud one, as well. It didn't take long to realize that this was because the room was deathly quiet, despite the sheer number of residents within.

There was a large bar off to the left, near the entrance, a pair of exits flanked the fireplace, with a large sofa accompanied by a few more furnishings before it, and, a pair of hallways were located on the sides. Finally, there were some tables set up to the right, across form the bar, where some patrons had been playing a round of poker, only to stop and observe the new arrivals.

But, they weren't the only ones.

Hiashi, Mikoto, and Natsu all noticed that the barkeep, the bouncers, and, hell, even the harlot in the corner were all giving the group a subtle, appraising glance—not for potential clientele, though; but, rather, potential _threats_.

The three of them also noticed all of these people quickly zeroing in on Natsu, giving her the stink-eye, before going back to what they were doing.

 _'Well, that wasn't creepy, at all,'_ Mikoto thought sarcastically, before giving Natsu a questioning look. Said Hyuuga, however, looked just as confused as she did... albeit notably more worried, for obvious reasons.

Hiashi spoke up, as the group continued on, just after they left the main building and into the center of the complex. "Why is everyone so wary of Natsu?"

"They don't trust her," Reiko explained, "because of her opinions towards the landlords."

Hiashi bit back a scowl. That meeting was bound to get awkward. Oh, well... When life gives you lemons, yes?

At this, Shizuka couldn't help but be curious. "So, who are the land lords?"

Reiko smirked at her. "You met _both_ of them, earlier... about ten minutes ago, in fact."

The only ones among the Hyuuga and Uchiha who were _not_ surprised were the heads of said clans. As for Natsu, in particular, this revelation only gave her another reason to be worried.

"How'd that happen?" Shizuka couldn't believe what Reiko was implying. The twins were the _owners_ of this establishment?! How, indeed?

"Let's just say they... suddenly found themselves in need of a stable income, one day." Reiko sighed, heavily. Apparently, this "need for a stable income" didn't bring up pleasant memories? Shizuka wasn't quite sure... "I'm not at liberty to reveal any more than that. You'll have to ask them."

"Noted," the heiress muttered, the wheels in her head spinning wildly. Shizuka would most certainly be confronting Naruto, the very _instant_ she could...

* * *

Beyond that point the trip was fairly uneventful. As it turned out, the Black Leaf Estate had more buildings than its new guests had initially thought.

Those larger buildings apparently surrounded six quaint, little hovels that housed two apartments, each, as well two courtyards. One was directly behind the main office, one was on the other side, and in the center—surrounded by the smaller buildings—was a large recreational complex with one big pool, a smaller one for the kids, a bath house, and a sizable hot tub, among other things.

Upon seeing the tub, Shizuka made a mental note to have a nice, long soak, as soon as possible.

After going through all that, Reiko and her entourage lead the Pit's guests to the large, rather nice deluxe apartment at the very back of the Black Leaf Estate. It was huge, and decorated—much like the lounge—in earthy tones of brown and red with bits of black and beige for a nice, striking contrast.

Shizuka and Hinata's eyes bugged out at the sight.

"The master bedroom has been prepared with two beds for the heiresses, and a third bed is in the secondary," Reiko stated. "The cupboards and refrigerator have also been fully stocked with a month's worth of food."

Hinata slipped out from the group with Shizuka in tow, as they both found themselves unable to help but let out their inner children and go explore.

Every bit of furniture was all clearly of the finest quality; the chairs and sofas were of leather, the kitchen floor and counter top were of white marble, the curtains and the bedding was of fine silk! To say they were impressed would simply not have done justice.

* * *

Later that day, Naruto and Nariko entered the Black Leaf Estate's main building from the courtyard entrance. Soon after finishing up a few errands they had to run, they got word from Setsuka that the Clan Heads were ready for that meeting. Now, she was at their place to hold down the fort, while they finished up their last bit of business.

They greeted the guard at the hall by the bar and took to the stairs. Along the conference room, the twins thought hard and conversed among themselves about what they needed to stock up on, and what apartment would best suit their new-found needs.

But, that would have to wait, as they found themselves in front of the office much quicker than they'd realized. Upon seeing this, Nariko turned to Naruto and smiled.

"I'm just glad to have her back," she said. "We'll figure out what we need, later."

With that, and a short peck upon Naruto's cheek, the twins entered the chamber, greeted by the sight of Reiko sitting opposite of Mikoto and Hiashi. Two mats flanked their second adoptive mother, as the three before the twins sat patiently.

Nariko let out a giggle and Naruto bowed respectfully, as the two of them took their seats.

"Now, then," Reiko began, addressing her guests. "Where shall we start?"

Mikoto decided to speak first. "Before we do," she said, "I must thank you. That apartment's better than some _houses_ I've owned. I'm impressed."

Nariko beamed at the praise. She put a lot of effort into making that damn thing presentable. Not even a week ago, it was a complete shit hole, so the blonde's efforts being appreciated had put a smile right on her face.

"That aside," the Uchiha continued, "I think it would be best to get straight to business. You two still have a busy day ahead of you, I'm sure."

Nariko couldn't help but smile, and Naruto placed a hand in hers. Indeed, they did...

"Fair enough," Reiko said.

"We're gonna need a full explanation o' whatchya want," Nariko chimed in. "'help our kids and house 'em' is kinda vague, after all."

"There is also the issue of Natsu-San," Naruto added.

Hiashi scowled at Naruto's tone. There was a subtle warning in how the boy said that. "Would you care to elaborate?" The Hyuuga had his suspicions, but it seemed best for him to confirm them, before taking action on the matter.

"We don't know if she's a full-on 'demon hater', yet," Nariko explained, waggling her fingers at the term for added effect, "but, after a little digging, we confirmed that she's at least sympathizer."

Again, Naruto tossed in his own piece. "We understand why you want to leave here here, but with this being the case, we are obligated to inform you that if she dares to present herself as a threat to our family or comrades in any way, shape or form, then her head will be delivered to her mother's bedchamber within the hour." Only more disturbing than the blond's warning was the nonchalant tone in which it was uttered. "We trust that you will relay this information to her, before you leave?"

"I will," Hiashi replied. Natsu was indeed in for a long chat, before her clan head's departure. At least this "issue" with her wasn't quite as severe as he'd feared... that much he could take comfort in.

"That aside," Mikoto chirped, wanting to change the subject, before this got _really_ awkward, "the terms we're looking to establish are as follows..."

Naruto, Nariko, and Reiko turned to the Uchiha, while Hiashi let out a sigh of relief, glad to get moving to more pressing matters.

"First off," the Uchiha continued, "We want you to help our daughters with their training. We also want you to keep an eye on them, until they're deemed capable of fending for themselves... Shizuka, especially." Mikoto sighed. "Hate to admit it, but she's unfortunately a bit more... full of herself than I'd prefer.

We are planning to help you with your own training and protection in exchange. The Uchiha Clan has more than its fair share of lawyers who are willing to help in any way they can. You will also be given access to various scrolls from my personal library, and if so desired, a personal tutor to aid in your training."

"I take it you also want us to court them," Naruto inserted. He and Nariko heard of the clans' attempt to offer Shizuka and Hinata for a political marriage, so that wasn't too far-fetched—despite Mikoto's personality.

Mikoto winced. "Yes and no... This whole situation quite frankly makes me feel like I'm peddling my daughter—which I'm not a fan of, for obvious reasons..."

Now, it was Nariko's turn to bear a grimace. She understood, perfectly.

"But," Mikoto continued with a sigh, "I'd rather her end up with you than any of her other... contenders." there was a brief pause. "Don't get me wrong, though; I can't thank you and Shoki-San enough for going so far out of your ways to save her life. If it turns out that she wants to join the Uzumaki Clan, then she and you will have my full support. The only thing I really take issue with is the thought of her ending up as a concubine, of all things." Mikoto scowled. "The very _word_ puts a bad taste in my mouth. But, at the end of the day, it can't be helped..."

"We shall treat her well, either way," Naruto assured.

"Yes, you shall." the Uchiha replied, a subtle threat in her tone.

While the twins didn't typically take kindly to such aggression, especially on their own turf, neither could blame Mikoto for being a bit... overprotective. Hell, even calling her such would be hypocritical, so they ignored it.

"You might want to beware of my clan's councilmen," Hiashi added, "they will try and have Hinata branded with the curse, if she tries to join. As a member of another clan, she would be ineligible to lead the Hyuuga."

Nariko scoffed. "A change of citizenship would nip that shit right in the bud. Keeps her outta their reach and gives us the right to fuck 'em, if they try."

"Exactly." Hiashi replied. Granted, he wouldn't have used such wording, but it _was_ accurate.

Naruto raised an eyebrow at the response, while Nariko looked notably more surprised. So, _that's_ what he was planning...

"Her removal from the Hyuuga Clan will be finalized before I leave," the man stated. Nariko looked like she wanted to speak, but he continued, before she could. "By Hyuuga Clan law, her citizenship cannot be changed while she's still next in line to inherit the role of its leader, unless the clan—as a whole—is being relocated, at the time."

Nariko sighed, feeling sorry for Hinata. That girl still tended to be a bit... vulnerable, and the blonde could only hope this didn't have too bad of an effect on her.

Naruto remained stoic, as usual, but felt the same.

"We'll draw up a pair of certificates and have them delivered as soon as possible," Reiko declared. "One for each of them... Natsu, excluded, for now. Anything else?"

"Yes," Hiashi said, producing a small, fat scroll from his sleeve. He then handed it to Reiko, who unfurled it and showed notable surprise at its contents.

Naruto and Nariko also took a look, reading it over her shoulders, to discover that it contained the instructions to remove the Curse of the Caged Bird.

"A countermeasure," Hiashi explained, "in case the council has it applied illegally."

With that, he could see the wheels in the twins' heads starting to turn. Perhaps they were thinking about using that as leverage on Natsu, ensuring her cooperation? Come to think of it, why was he even wondering? In all honesty, Hiashi would be shocked if that _wasn't_ the case, all things considered.

* * *

 **Meanwhile...**

* * *

Elsewhere in Konoha, the Hokage sat behind his desk, half-buried in a literal mountain of paperwork. Damn-near every last sheet was attributed to Naruto and Nariko's latest stunt, in some way. Those damn kids knew how to make him suffer, didn't they? Personally, he blamed Reiko... and Shoki... and Reiko... and Anko... Did I mention Reiko? Especially Reiko... Hiruzen didn't quite know how, but the drug lord in question managed to be more of a bitch to handle than even Shoki, in the realm of politics. No wonder it took no less than a six-month black-op to bring her first reign of terror to an end...

But, Hiruzen had other matters to attend to, at the moment, so he redirected his focus to his two guests.

The first was Anko. Decked out in an unremarkable camisole and skirt with matching shoes, the plum-haired woman had her locks pulled back in her usual flaring topknot, and her face twisted in an impatient scowl.

The other one was an athletic woman in her late twenties with black hair and crimson eyes. Her name was Yuuhi Kurenai, a recently-promoted Jounin of the Hidden Leaf. She was off-duty, though, and was thus decked out in a simple, but professional-looking dress with matching slippers.

"I'm glad the two of you could make it," the Hokage started. In all honesty, he was likely more so than he should've been. Any excuse to take a break from dealing with Mt. Kill-a-ma-wristo was a welcome one, at this point.

Anko shrugged. "Not too much to do in the Pit, with graduation being delayed."

Kurenai bit back a scowl at Anko's nonchalant attitude. Who did this chick think she was talking to?!

"I'm glad you brought that up," Hiruzen commented, surprising Kurenai with his apparent disregard towards Anko's blatant disrespect. "We're here to discuss that, and any arrangements we need to address, regarding your new team."

"With all due respect, Hokage-Sama," Kurenai asked with a bow, "why was I summoned?"

"Because, two of the students I've assigned to you have... relocated," Hiruzen explained. Then, he pulled out his pipe and lit it up, reclining in his chair with a satisfied sigh, after taking much-needed a puff. "The Uchiha and Hyuuga Clan heads are finalizing the terms of their new alliance, as we speak, I'd wager."

The red-eyed woman looked visibly surprised at that. "I see..." She'd caught wind of the sizable group heading to the Pit—it was kinda hard to miss, after all. But, she found it hard to wrap her brain around that being their motive.

The Hyuuga simply didn't strike her as the types to associate themselves with such riffraff. But, for the Uchiha to do the same, despite their history with Reiko... That was especially shocking to her. Seriously, what could have _possibly_ incentivized them to throw their lot in with such unsavory company?

Kurenai would've dwelled upon this longer, had Anko not broken her train of thought.

"So, I take it a date has finally been set?" It was Anko who'd asked.

"Next Monday," Hiruzen confirmed.

* * *

 **Later that day...**

* * *

Mikoto hesitated. It was now going on six in the evening; nearly time to go back to the Uchiha compound and get ready to end the day, but she still had one more issue to deal with.

The meeting with the twins and Reiko had ended a while ago. Reiko was still present, as was Hiashi, though Naruto and Nariko had scurried off, somewhere, upon the end of the meeting. Now, the three of them stood in the hall, just outside Shizuka and Hinata's new apartment.

'Are you going to be okay?"

The one who spoke was Reiko, and Mikoto gave her a sidelong glance, before letting out a sigh.

"I will be," she answered, "eventually... It's just not easy."

Reiko winced, knowing damn well what that was like. While she hadn't given birth to the twins, it got to the point, somewhere during their short time together, that she may as well have. Leaving those two in that apartment was among the hardest things she'd ever had to endure—rivaled only by the day her mother died.

"I can wait, if you need a moment," Hiashi offered.

Mikoto smiled politely. "Thanks, but I'll be fine."

With that said and done, Reiko knocked, saying they were back, before entering.

* * *

Moments later, Mikoto let out a sad sigh. She was the last one in the apartment who remained, aside from its new residents. Hiashi was already making his way back to cross the River and head home, while Reiko was waiting for her in the hall.

"You okay?" Shizuka looked on with concern, and Mikoto couldn't blame her; the clan head probably looked about as shitty as she felt.

"I will be," she replied, "eventually..."

Shizuka wasn't satisfied with that response, though, and pressed on. "What's bothering you?"

Mikoto gave her daughter a halfhearted, but wry grin. "Give me some blond-haired grand babies, and you'll understand, someday."

At that, Shizuka turned beet red and sputtered incoherently.

Mikoto couldn't help but chuckle. "Damn, I needed that." Then, she chortled once more at Shizuka's indignant glare. "What? You thought I didn't know about your little crush?"

Shizuka blushed harder and averted her gaze, mumbling, "it's more than just a crush..."

"We'll see about that in a few years," Mikoto commented with a shrug. "Young love is a fickle thing. Just don't let it get to you, if it doesn't work out."

"I'll try..." the younger Uchiha muttered, visibly uncomfortable with the subject. Was that even a possibility? On second thought, she didn't _want_ to know. Though Shizuka wouldn't admit it, even to herself, the very notion scared her.

Mikoto sighed and scooped up her daughter in a tight, loving hug. "Be safe," she whispered, "and if you need anything, give me a holler."

"I will."

Mikoto withdrew to look Shizuka in the eye, and asked, "now, you're sure you brought everything?"

Her daughter nodded.

"Good." Mikoto smiled. "Don't forget to write, and if you're not gonna be there for my birthday, give me a heads up, or I will march over here and spank you."

Shizuka groaned, "Okaa-San..."

"Oh, don't give me that!" Mikoto gave her daughter a halfhearted glare. "Just be glad I'm not nagging you about changing your underwear and the like."

The younger Uchiha scrunched her nose at that, eliciting a warm chuckle from her mother.

After a brief silence, Mikoto said, "I'm going to miss you." Then, she pulled Shizuka into one more hug, as it sank in that her baby was all grown up now and had to leave the nest. Try as she might, Mikoto couldn't hold back the tears. This wasn't the first time the Uchiha Clan's newest head had to endure these feelings, but that didn't make it any easier.

Shizuka sighed and rubbed her mother's back. "I'll miss you, too," she replied.

* * *

 **Damn, that was a long one! Just shy of eighteen pages, in fact. Kinda felt a bit clunky, but I did the best I could. I hope you like it! :)**

 **Gonna be finishing this arc wit a bang, next chapter. Just needed to get a few things outta the way, before I did. I'll be getting to work on it, right away, but it's hard to say when I'll be able to post the final product. This one took several drafts to complete, actually, but the one before it was actually done rather quickly, so it's hard to say.**

 **Not short on inspiration, though, and it'll be based off some main series elements that I can easily build off of for a more proper introduction to Kurenai and the changes I've made to her character. =3**

* * *

 **Trivia:**

 **Hyuuga Natsu was an extremely minor character who popped up in the Naruto Shippuden filler arch involving Hanabi.**

 **Kou is also a very minor character that I dug up from a Google search... Not sure where he's from, and I quite frankly don't give a shit. I just needed a random Hyuuga to serve as the organizer of the huge-ass group, so I used him, because I didn't want to resort to using an OC for that.**

 **Arisawa Tatsuki is a character from Bleach that I've inserted into the Uchiha Clan. Again, the owner of Bleach is Tite Kubo. For the purpose of this fic, and keeping Arisawa from getting confused with Ariwara, her surname has been changed to Uchiha.**

 **Yoshiko is a feminine Japanese name that literally translates to "lucky child."**

 **The comment about the Hidden Leaf Crest looking like a "snail that fell in its ass" is a reference to... one of the umpteen Naruto Abridged Series. I don't remember which one, and I couldn't find it. While I can't say I recommend the version in question if you do manage to dig it up from whatever pit it's apparently been buried in, I couldn't help but find its creator's jab at the Leaf Symbol's appearance to be so funny that I _had_ to reference it as a shout out.**

 **While editing the is chapter for the site on my profile's Document Manager, I noticed that the Trivia portion referring to Kou wasn't bold-faced, when it should have been, despite registering as being in bold. It was easily fixed, though. And, that, kiddies, is why you double-check your work to make sure everything's running smoothly, lol.**

* * *

 **Will all that said, I think I'm done, for now. Thanks, again, to all my readers for giving my fic the time of day, I hope you all have a good one! :)**


	9. Chapter 8

**Damn, this took forever! Sorry about that; I wanted to have this up weeks ago, but I struggled a bit too much for that to happen. That's not even taking into account the various life issues that delayed it further. But, it's here, at long last! I hope you enjoy! :)**

 **Notice: mild sexual content on the plate!**

* * *

 **Twisted Bonds: the Ultimate Sin**

 **Arc Two: the Genin Exams  
Chapter Five: Grab My Jingle-Bells**

* * *

Shizuka stretched and yawned, before popping her neck with a grunt. She then sighed, deep in thought.

These past several days had gone by rather slowly, as there wasn't much to do. Sure, that hot tub was every bit as heavenly as she'd hoped it would be, and there were plenty of people milling about for her to strike a conversation with, but Shizuka still generally avoided most interactions with anyone but Hinata, as everything still felt so alien to the young Uchiha.

Hell, didn't even interact with Natsu more than needed, despite being placed in her care, as it hadn't taken long for the older woman's opinions towards Naruto to surface. It wasn't hard to see why that'd put a heavy strain on their relationship.

That aside, it just felt kinda dull being here, but not quite unbearable, thanks to Hinata. Shizuka could've done without those guttural moans she kept hearing from next door, though. The young Uchiha had assumed it was a local hooker, who'd just moved into the next apartment, _three days ago_. Seriously, the twins couldn't have chosen _another_ one to toss that woman in? Why there?! Ugh...

As if just to make it worse, there was also a constant reek of canabis in the area.

While it wasn't the Uchiha's place to dictate where certain locals could live, and all, she was still an heiress, damn it! It just didn't feel right living among such low-tier peasantry, but that was life for ya, sad but true...

Shizuka sighed, hoping that kid she often heard frolicking about didn't follow her neighbors' examples, in _any_ regard.

Pushing such thoughts aside, she then looked at the clock and swore, upon seeing that it was already past seven. Scrambling outta her clothes and getting ready to take a shower, it didn't take long for the young Uchiha to find herself thinking back upon her time, here, once more.

In all honesty, Shizuka hadn't expected a place called the Pit, of all things, to be very accommodating. But, despite its faults, she was pleasantly surprised. The locals seemed very friendly, though more grudgingly so towards Natsu, and the atmosphere had this oddly charming identity to it—an otherworldly combination of coziness and grit. Quite strange, indeed...

As alien as she felt, here; as bored as she was, Shizuka had to admit the Pit was rather comfy—potheads and sleep-depriving harlots notwithstanding, of course...

But, even _they_ somehow managed to just be a minor annoyance, which made them even _more_ irritating, because Shizuka couldn't be bothered to do anything but bitch about 'em. She sighed, again.

Now stark naked, the young Uchiha hopped into the master bathroom, eyeballing herself in the mirror for just a second and unable to help but wonder how Naruto would react to seeing her well-toned figure. She smirked, striking a sexy pose. He'd pop a boner and desperately fight the urge to ravage her, right there, of course! It was simply inconceivable for _anyone_ to resist such a fine, young specimen, after all...

A firm, plump, heart-shaped ass; an impressive chest, despite having just a bit more growing left to do; a lean, firm, well-toned figure with _just_ enough muscle to be sexy; flaring, perfect birthing hips, one third wider than her waist; she had it all! How could that harlot, Nariko _ever_ hope to stand a chance against her?

Shizuka's smirk grew into a pompous grin, as she struck one more pose, and chuckled to herself, before getting in the shower.

* * *

Meanwhile, back in the room she shared with Shizuka, Hinata smirked devilishly, her cheeks beet red, as she secretly read a risque, little orange novel through half-lidded eyes. A lewd giggle escaped her lips as the story's protagonist had his way with the princess.

" _Shiro clutched Yukiko's long, dark blue locks for leverage, shoving his meat as deep as he could into the eager snatch of his latest conquest: the princess wailing like a common whore._

 _Never had Yukiko thought she could possibly be fucked so thoroughly... To think her first time would be from behind—to a_ Yakuza _, no less! A hand on her tit, his lips on her neck, her savior pounded her so hard she wouldn't be able to walk for a week!_

 _It was so wrong, and yet, it felt so—"_

Hinata let out an undignified squawk, and fell off the bed she was sitting on, at the sound of Natsu knocking on the bedroom door.

"Breakfast is ready, Hinata-Sama."

Understandably more than a little irritated by the interruption, Hinata took a calming breath, before responding, "I'll be there in a minute."

She sighed. It could've been worse... At least she didn't have a hand in her panties, this time around, but, still; that woman's timing was _atrocious_! Seriously, she couldn't wait _five_ more minutes?! Oh, well...

About ten minutes later, Hinata finally emerged from the room, with a still-slightly-damp Shizuka in tow. Both girls were garbed in their finest robes, due to the event being quite the formal one. They _were_ representing the next generation if Konoha's military, after all, so they were expected to look their best.

Shizuka's kimono was mostly black in color with a red and white obi. On the back was the symbol of a paper fan shaped much like a ping-pong paddle—white on top, red on the bottom, with a black stripe separating the two halves—which represented the Uchiha clan. The outer robe was also decorated with elaborate flame designs and identical fans scattered about. The inner robes were either red or white, and there were black tabi upon her feet.

Hinata was in a lavender kimono decorated in various floral designs, with beige inner robes, a beige and violet obi, and white tabi. While just as intricately designed, made of silk just as fine as her friend's, Hinata's kimono was conspicuously lacking of the Hyuuga Clan symbol. Finally, the younger girl's vibrant, purple locks were held back in a simple, but ornate bun.

To finish their looks, both girls wore nigh-identical, wooden geta.

Natsu smiled at the two. In all honesty, it still felt odd to not assist someone in getting dressed, but being able to focus on other tasks made her job easier, which was a welcome change, in the wake of leaving the compound.

"We've got eggs and bacon for breakfast," the older woman stated. "Please, do eat hardy. The two of you have a long day ahead."

* * *

 **Just a bit later...**

* * *

In the hallway, Nariko was kneeling before a whisker-marked, little girl around the age of five, standing in the door way of their new apartment.

The kid was decked out in a simple, but cute, little orange dress with white socks and black mary-janes. Her short, wavy crimson locks were wild and vibrant, while her dull, slit, light blue eyes stared at Nariko behind a disappointed pout.

Said blonde kissed her on the forehead, before standing up to see Ayame waiting behind the brat. "Take good care of her," Nariko said, "We'll meet you in the lounge, once the ceremony's done." She then smiled. "Thanks for taking time away from your business to do this!"

"No worries," Ayame chuckled, "I need the practice." The waitress blushed and absently placed a hand on her belly, thinking about the child growing within her.

Nariko smiled at the older woman. Behind her, Naruto draped an arm over his sister, rubbing her shoulder with his thumb. The blonde rewarded him with a kiss on the cheek.

"You will receive a hefty payment for your time, regardless," Naruto added. Ayame looked like she wanted to protest, when he waved his hand dismissively, "I will hear nothing of it. We all know you could use the extra money. Consider it a token of our gratitude."

Ayame sighed. "Sometimes, you two are just a bit too generous for your own good," she chuckled.

Nariko chuckled, "only when we give a shit. You're always there for us, so of course we're grateful."

Ayame giggled. "I'll be making her some food, then," she said, before retreating to the kitchen.

Then, just as the dejected brat was about to follow her babysitter into the apartment, the next door over opened up to reveal Shizuka. Startled by the sudden noise, the little ginger yelped and immediately bolted towards the twins to hide behind them.

Shizuka stared, unable to help but wonder who the little girl now hiding behind Nariko could be.

"Hello, Shizuka-San," Naruto greeted,

With that, the young Uchiha turned her attention to her love interest, and immediately noticed that he wasn't wearing his sunglasses. In fact, this was the first time she'd seen him without them in years. She had nearly forgotten what those utterly enchanting eyes looked like...

They were lightly slit, like his sister's, but a much icier shade of blue: cold and piercing. Shizuka couldn't help but be entranced by his gaze, if only for just a moment. How could she have forgotten this feeling? It was so addictive...

Realizing that she was staring, Shizuka averted her eyes. "So... what brings you two here?"

"They're our neighbors," Hinata timidly explained, popping out behind the Uchiha.

Shizuka's eye twitched, then she glared at Nariko. " _You're_ the one who's been keeping me up at night?!"

"What," Nariko chirped, "you didn't recognize my voice?"

Shizuka twitched, again. Was that supposed to mean she was doing it on purpose?!

"T-to be fair," Hinata chimed in, "it was a bit muffled... Hard to tell."

"Point taken..." Nariko then leered at the younger woman with an impish grin. "So, did you enjoy the show, last night?" This understandably sent poor Hinata into a sputtering fit in an attempt to deny what the blonde was implying. Seeing as how she'd had her fun, Nariko chuckled and raised her hands. "Joking, joking."

Then, Naruto changed the subject before the poor former Hyuuga died from embarrassment. "So I take it you're ready to leave, then?"

"Y-yes..." Hinata mumbled, still a bit flustered. "We... we're just waiting for Natsu to finish up."

Nariko giggled. "Hope you two get along with your teammates, eh?"

"Whatever..." Shizuka grumbled, suddenly finding herself staring once more at the brat still clinging to Nariko's kimono. Realizing how odd it was for such a garment to so much as be anywhere _near_ the blonde in question, the Uchiha paused to take in the twins' appearances.

Both were wearing orange kimono decorated with black and white tribal flame designs, clearly inspired by Shoki's favored garb. The obi and inner robes were also black and white, the tabi were black, and the twins finished their look with matching, wicker zouri.

Naruto, as stated, earlier, wasn't wearing his sunglasses, but that was the only difference to his look, aside from his attire.

Nariko, however, swapped her crooked pigtails out for a pair of symmetrical, ornate dodango, and was wearing just enough makeup to actually look rather classy. It was... quite foreign, to be perfectly honest.

Finally, though they were invisible to the Uchiha's point of view, the twins' kimono also had the kanji for enigma stitched in the backs in a stylistic, black font.

Shizuka the returned her attention to the kid, once more, the wheels in her head turning. "So," she asked, "I take it that's Yoshiko, then?"

"Yes," Naruto replied, "Do be careful. She tends to be wary of outsiders, until she gets to know them."

Shizuka scowled, not pleased with this revelation in the slightest. "I... I see..."

The young Uchiha didn't how to react. The girl in question looked so similar to Nariko, but those icy, blue eyes were so clearly Naruto's. Was she really their daughter?!

* * *

" _Who the hell's Yoshiko?"_

" _She is the reason we were held back for two years."_

" _Let's just say they... suddenly found themselves in need of a stable income, one day."_

* * *

No... She couldn't be! Sure, there were rumors that Nariko had gotten herself knocked up, a while back... that allegedly was why the twins had to be held back, and all. But, the kid was clearly a redhead, not a blonde. She _had_ to get that from someone else, right? Maybe that Kotohiko guy?

But, those eyes... those damn eyes!

Shaking her head to dislodge her thoughts, Shizuka cleared her throat and addressed Nariko with a huff. "Credit where it's due," the Uchiha grumbled, "you made a cute brat."

The blonde giggled happily at the praise.

Then, all of a sudden, Natsu finally appeared, popping out of her apartment like a jack-in-the-box. "My deepest apologies," she declared, frantically, "I... I couldn't find the keys." Apparently, one-hundred-fifty foot, 359.542-degree vision, with a zoom-in function, _and_ the ability to see through walls and shit didn't make the flustered maid capable of _noticing_ the little fuckers _hiding in plane sight_! Damn, that was embarrassing!

"I-it's fine, Natsu," Hinata replied.

Both the twins and Natsu exchanged wary glances, but said nothing, opting for a mutual respect... until further notice.

Nariko then turned to Yoshiko and said, "Tou-Chan and I gotta go, now, honey." Then, she kneeled down and gave the little ginger one more kiss on the forehead. "Go back inside with Ayame-Neechan, and I'll meet you at the ceremony, okay?"

 _'Tou-Chan?!'_ Shizuka visibly flinched at the title, hoping beyond hope that it wasn't confirmation. Perhaps he was simply been helping Nariko raise the brat? They were lovers, after all... even if they weren't, they were still family, so it made at least _some_ sense.

Yoshiko gave her mother a sad look, but reluctantly nodded, turning and running into the apartment where Ayame waited in the kitchen—said woman having busied herself with making the little munchkin a bowl of miso ramen.

With that, Naruto asked, "shall we be on our way, then?"

"Yup," Nariko chirped. Then, she addressed the other girls in the hallway. "You coming with?"

Shizuka huffed. "Might as well." They did have the same destination, after all...

As her brother went to close and lock the door, only Nariko noticed another "Naruto" materialize on the other side of the threshold.

* * *

 **Not long afterwards...**

* * *

In the Konoha Ninja Academy auditorium, a massive crowd was gathering; not just from all over the village, but throughout Hi no Kuni, these over three-hundred men, women, and children had come to offer their friends and family some much-earned support.

Today was the last one of many a childhood, after all, and to be the first of these graduates' adult lives. There was simply no way in hell any family worth their salt would miss such an event.

Even Reiko was there, much to the chagrin of many, guarded by no less than a dozen minutemen and half as many ANBU. She sat in the VIP lounge, awaiting the arrivals of a few others, who were due at any moment.

Meanwhile, Naruto, Nariko, Natsu, Shizuka and Hinata all approached academy's the front gate, eliciting a number of reactions from the crowd that still gathered. Coming along with was Akari, whom the twins had picked up along the way.

Yuugao had also been waiting for the group, just outside the Pit to provide them with an escort, one third of her unit in tow. Another portion was with Reiko, and the rest were tending to Ayame, at the moment.

The Children of the Pit trusted no other units for the job, though they didn't need to. Yuugao wasn't a captain without good reason, after all, and ANBU Unit 13 had more than enough experience and expertise to protect the Yondaime's legacy—even from their own comrades and countrymen, if need be.

As the small group ventured to their destination, the ANBU making way for them, Shizuka and Hinata found themselves feeling rather uncomfortable. The hissing and booing of the crowd... the snide remarks and ill wishes—all undoubtedly aimed towards the twins—were so alien to the highborn girls. Even Natsu was unable to help but wince, seeing her own face upon those of the disgusted masses. What only irked them further was how utterly indifferent the twins and Akari were to these people.

Clearly, this was something they'd dealt with far more often than... well, _anyone_ should have.

Then, a particularly brave man among the horde of assholes decided to throw a drink he'd bought at a nearby restaurant, aiming straight for Nariko's head.

She didn't even give this fucker the dignity of acknowledging his existence...

Not even needing to look at the makeshift projectile, Naruto only responded by thrusting his hand in the shake's general direction. It mysteriously stopped in mid-flight, frozen in the air, as if time, itself had ceased. Then, Naruto's hand dropped, and so, too, did the shake—landing on the pavement with a plop.

"Why would they treat the Yondaime's legacy like this?" Shizuka couldn't help but wonder, but immediately regretted asking, as she was taken aback by a wave of malice radiating from Nariko; one which had given pause even to the crowd and the ANBU repelling them.

"Because, we're not that _thing's_ legacy," Nariko growled, continuing her stride, as if nothing had happened. "Not anymore..." she added, "not since that night."

Try as she might, Shizuka couldn't help but be intimidated by the blonde's tone... one that told her— _warned_ her—not to continue this conversation. Hell, even Naruto was visibly displeased by the question, and that was saying something, seeing as how he was usually so damn hard to read.

The rage and emotional scarring her curiosity had revealed made it obvious that this was a subject the twins would rather avoid. Unfortunately, that only left Shizuka and Hinata with far more questions than answers.

* * *

Later, in the waiting room behind the stage, the small group met up with all the other graduates... all fifty-one of 'em—a testament to the rigorous screening process employed by Konoha's academy, seeing as how this year's batch had originally started off with more than twenty times as many students.

One of these soon-to-be Genin was the youngest student here, by a long shot—a petite girl of the Aburame Clan hiding in the corner and trying not to get caught staring at Naruto, as he walked in.

Only the twins and Akari noticed, among the graduates.

It didn't take long for others to start looking in the new arrivals' direction, though they didn't mind. These gazes were familiar... more welcome... less dangerous.

The ANBU fanned out, taking positions throughout the room to keep a better eye on everyone and the exits.

The twins took seats at a nearby table, most of the students actively avoiding them, so as to keep from getting on their bad sides—Nariko's, especially. She was the volatile one, after all, as the Monkey Wrench Incident had made rather clear.

As for Akari, she decided to stand nearby, keeping a vigilant eye on anyone who came within spitting distance of her adoptive family—her trusty katana ever in hand.

Finally, Shizuka, Hinata, and Natsu sat at a table close to the twins—which had conspicuously become vacant, the moment said blonds took a seat.

Soon after, the Aburame girl from a few paragraphs ago approached the twins, a blush upon her freckled cheeks getting Shizuka's attention the instant this kid came into view.

The girl in question had wavy, short, chestnut hair and matching, almond eyes. Her usually-present, round-lens sunglasses were conspicuously missing and her kimono stood out in its simplicity—hued in shades of brown and gray, lacking of any elaborate design; it was unusual for a noble clan member.

She was Aburame Kemushi, the sole twelve-year-old in the room. "I see you're not wearing the sunglasses I gave you," she said, addressing Naruto.

"Oh, he would be, if he would if he could," Nariko chuckled.

"It feels awkward being without them, after so long," Naruto added with a pout. That was one of the many things he hated about such formal events.

"I understand, perfectly" Kemushi replied, smiling faintly, "I must say, though: you both look lovely, today." Then, her eyebrow quirked, and she addressed Nariko. "Have gotten a checkup, recently?"

"Not yet," Nariko replied. "We're all having one, soon, anyways, so I didn't see much of a point."

"I see..." Kemushi muttered. "My hive tells me you're—"

"I know," the blonde interrupted, a satisfied smile gracing her lips.

That got Shizuka's attention in a heartbeat, as well as Hinata's; question marks flying about their heads as they quickly exchanged a befuddled glance. What was this hive Kemushi spoke of, and what were those two even talking about?

"I see," Kemushi repeated. "I wish the two of you the best of luck, then." Then, she bit her lip and looked away, her blush intensifying, before she leaned in to give her childhood crush a quick peck on the lips.

She found herself unable to withdraw, though, if only for a moment, as Naruto cupped her cheek and returned the kiss.

The question marks from earlier stiffened to exclamation points with an audible twang, as Shizuka and Hinata just... stared. What only baffled them more was Nariko's reaction to what literally happened in front of her: she fucking _giggled_!

It was as if the blonde was legitimately happy to see her man giving another woman what clearly appeared to be her first kiss.

Granted, there were those who would _hardly_ call Kemushi a woman, despite her achievements, but that was beside the point...

Naruto looked said brunette in the eye, leaving her entranced in his gaze. "Should you ever change your mind," he said, "you know where to find us."

Kemushi discovered that it actually _was_ possible to blush harder, before nodding. "Thank you."

It wasn't an offer she intended to accept, but the fact that it was even _given_ made her so much happier than she probably should've been. Considering how the members of the Aburame clan were conditioned from a young age to show as little emotion as possible, the sheer amount of joy she exhibited seemed rather foreign to many an onlooker.

With that all said and done, along with one last peck on the forehead, Kemushi scurried back off to that comfy, little corner from whence she came: embarrassed by her own boldness, but happier than she'd ever been in her young life.

"Young love can be so cute," Nariko giggled.

"Indeed," Naruto replied, unable to keep the smile off his face.

Shizuka and Hinata only continued to stare, not sure how to react to what they'd just seen.

It didn't take long, though, for word came back that all the students had arrived. Once it did, Iruka entered the waiting room, and clapped his hands to get everyone's attention. "Alright," he started, "now that you're all here, we can get this whole thing underway. Please follow me, so we can get your pictures taken for your ID's."

* * *

 **A few moments later...**

* * *

Co-Captain Haruno Rin of ANBU Unit 13 sighed behind her porcelain mask. Something about that brat's expression told the woman she was _not_ going to enjoy filing her report.

All of Yuugao's unit knew of the twins' little bathroom tryst, by now, and according to Hinata's testimony, they weren't using a condom... The twins' interaction with that Aburame brat, earlier, only made her more nervous...

Ugh, this was going to get awkward, wasn't it?

Naruto, Nariko, and Akari sat patiently, having been pulled into this out-of-the-way makeshift clinic for their checkup. They trusted no one else for the job. Likewise, no one else was trusted by ANBU Unit 13, thus resulting in the medics thereof becoming the... not-quite-legally-official, personal physicians of the Semimaru family—the twins, especially.

Rin just happened to be the one in closest proximity, at the time, so she was charged with the task ahead.

Long ago, however, this room was a sizable utility closet with quite the nostalgic significance to the twins, in particular...

Nariko giggled as the memories of Yoshiko's probable conception flooded her mind like a tidal wave of erotic imagery. While said blonde still wasn't quite sure if the patch of hardwood she stared at was where her adorable, little ginger was made, the distinct possibility of that being the case was one hell of a guilty pleasure.

Misinterpreting the girl's euphoric expression, Rin felt immeasurably uncomfortable. But, she had a job to do, so she asked, "have you experienced any spotting or cramping, lately?"

Nariko turned her half-lidded gaze to the ANBU medic and grinned wider.

"Unusual discharges?"

Nariko giggled, "all of the above."

Rin sighed, again. Then, she removed her mask, revealing a woman in her thirties who'd aged quite well over the past eighteen years. Placing her mask on the desk, next to Nariko, she then looked the blonde in the eye. "If and when your mother returns, please don't let her kill me..."

"She wouldn't—" Naruto started, only to be interrupted by the ANBU.

"I meant your birth mother." Rin scratched the back of her head nervously, shifting her weight from foot to foot. She then turned towards Naruto with a grave expression. "Her temper is fucking _legendary_ , and I'm one of the three most likely people in this village to be blamed for your problems... and relationship."

Well... that was the case from Rin's perspective, at least. What only served to make the woman even more nervous was that the other two on her list were either dead or missing...

"Noted," Nariko chirped. It was strange to her that their bond was so frowned upon... especially considering how commonplace it was among the members of dying clans. But, people were strange, in general. Trying too hard to understand them would just give her a headache.

"Indeed," Naruto hummed thoughtfully. "We shall keep that in mind."

The twins did like her, after all. It simply wouldn't do for Rin to get hurt over something she had no hand in.

"Thanks," the brunette nodded. Then, she turned back to Nariko, before blazing through several hand gestures and causing her hands to glow an oddly-warm mint green. "May as well see if those symptoms mean what we think they do, then, eh?"

* * *

 **About an hour later...**

* * *

After all was said and done, the flow of guests flocking to the auditorium, finally ceased.

The room, itself, was huge: about the size of a theater with no less than fifty rows of several-dozen. That wasn't even counting the balconies where the councils, clan heads, and Hokage were now seated.

Along with them were Anko and Reiko, much to the chagrin of many. Also among them were Inuzuka Tsume, as leader of her clan, and Uchiha Mikoto, for the same reason, among others.

Hell, even Hiashi was there, despite the Hyuuga Clan Elders' collective protest. While Hinata was no longer a Hyuuga, she was still his daughter. He was going to respect his late wife and show their firstborn his support, whether his clan liked it or not. It was the least he could do, so shaming them into silence on the matter could barely even have been considered a chore.

Hell, it wasn't even difficult enough to be called _easy_!

Cheerfully ignoring the many sets of eyes glaring holes into her from the corners of their vision, Reiko smiled proudly at her adoptive children. It was still a feeling she wasn't accustomed to, but, damn, did it feel good!

She sat to Hiruzen's right, with Ayame to his left, leaving many a member of all three councils wondering how the hell a such a common woman was allowed to be there. Most of Yuugao's unit was also present for their protection, alongside the minutemen from earlier, while Kuukaku and Setsuka held down the fort, back at home. The only thing raising more eyebrows than the ramen chef's presence was that of a little, five-year-old redhead in her lap.

Only a select few knew who she was, as her parents preferred, but Yoshiko's identity would be known to many, soon enough...

Onstage, the only member of the village councils who wasn't in a VIP booth stood before the crowd. As the headmistress of this very academy, Suzume Namida's job was to announce the graduates' names and their achievements, as they came out to accept their Village Plates and... freshly-made identification cards...

Why the hell such things were being issued to ninja, of all things, was anyone's guess, but the shinobi of this universe were not the traditional kind, to say the least.

Standing by her were Chibusa and Iruka, and behind them was a large table with all the ID cards and metal plates with the Leaf Village crest. Unseen by the crowd, however, were three curious ones in particular, which lacked said crest in favor of the Kanji for enigma. There were also several plaques, metals and certificates upon the table to denote the various achievements of one student or another.

"Thank you all for coming," Namida declared with a polite bow, "I would like to inform you that we have quite the remarkable batch, this year. May your sons and daughters continue to make you proud!"

The response she got was an overwhelming cheer from the crowd.

"Twelve years ago, over one-thousand students enrolled in this academy. Some of them skipped grades, some were held back. Some passed, and many more failed. But they all tried their best."

In the VIP booth, Nara Shikaku stifled a chuckle. If his son gave half a shit about his scholastic performance, the brat wouldn't have gotten such appalling grades. But, hell, at least he passed.

"Now, an impressive fifty-six remain," Namida said cryptically, "far more than usual, to say the least." She paused for effect. "So, without further ado, let us introduce the first of them: the Rookie of the Year and student council president; top of her class on average from day one; top student in the subjects of Ninjutsu, and tactics; third place in Taijutsu, as well as the student with the highest GPA I've personally seen in years." Namida chucked warmly. "Does she even _need_ an introduction? The woman of whom I speak is none other than Uchiha Shizuka-San."

There was a thunderous applause, as the girl in question came out with her head held high ant giant smug grin upon her face.

She turned and bowed deeply to the audience. Then, once she grabbed her shit, as well as the plaques, gold medals, and bronze medal for her achievements, she bowed once more, before leaving the stage, grinning like a Cheshire cat with a short chuckle.

Up in the booth, Mikoto couldn't help but show which parent her daughter inherited habit from. Meanwhile, Reiko couldn't hide her amusement if her life depended on it.

"Next," Namida declared, "is the runner up: second place in Ninjutsu, and Taijutsu; first place in history and physics; long-time member of the student council and constant companion to Shizuka-San. She may no longer be a Hyuuga, but her clan surely will miss her: Hinata-San of the Pit."

There were mixed feelings about that, to be sure, but when the purple-haired teen emerged, she got a reception just as that of warm as Shizuka's, before her.

Hinata blushed heavily at the praise, and mimicked Shizuka actions, albeit far more timidly.

Meanwhile, in the booth, Hiashi ignored the questioning looks.

Then, no sooner than the instant Hinata left the stage, there was an eruption of murmurs. Rumors immediately spread like wildfire as the masses wondered what the hell they'd missed, why she and Shizuka had been seen with the Semimaru-Uzumaki Twins, and what the fuck could have possibly happened.

It was short-lived, however, as Namida cleared her throat, prompting the crowd to save their thoughts for later.

"Thank you," the Headmistress declared.

Where was she? Oh, right...

Fast-forwarding past a score of unimportant, faceless fucks who would serve no purpose to this story and presumably just die offscreen, somewhere, Namida sighed.

"Next is a girl who I'm sure we _all_ have mixed feelings about," She said. "While I'm happy for her, I'm also glad to have her go and make someone else's life more difficult..." Namida then scratched her cheek, nervously. "Though, I can't shake the feeling that I'm going to miss some of her shenanigans..." She also couldn't help but let out a chuckle, "The girl of whom I speak is not just an infamous troublemaker, though. She's also the top rookie in the subjects of physical education and Taijutsu."

That part was much to the girl's mild embarrassment, as she legitimately tried _not_ to get such high scores, so as to hide her abilities. But, alas, there were just to damn many bitch-ass wimps and wet noodles attending this year for her to have succeeded. To be fair, Shizuka and Hinata were far from the realm of candy-ass, but one was too damn cocky for her own good and the other was just as timid—if not more so.

Namida continued, "no matter how many in this village regrettably conspired against her, though; no matter who stood in her way, she persevered. The young woman of whom I speak is none other than the village anti-hero, Semimaru-Uzumaki Nariko-San."

The reaction was just as mixed as Namida's own feelings towards the girl. For every cheer there was a boo; for every complement, a snide remark, as the blonde came on stage. When she did appear, her attire impressed just as many as is unnerved, and she gave a polite bow.

Up in the stands, Yoshiko was not a happy camper. What did her mommy ever do to deserve such treatment from all these people? She _had_ to ask...

"Nee-Chan?"

Ayame looked down to the redhead in her lap. "Yes, honey?"

"Why are so many people being mean to Kaa-Chan?"

That question led to more than a few council members nearly jumping out of their skins. The reveal it brought with having attracted more attention than it probably should have, ANBU Unit 13's present members immediately went on high alert, keeping a close eye on everyone else... especially Danzou. That fucker was _always_ up to something...

"Because they're stupid," Ayame replied soothingly, hugging the girl tight. "Try to ignore them, okay?"

Back onstage, Namida addressed the crowd, once more, as soon as Nariko left.

"They say that behind every great man is a great woman," the headmistress started. "The next student is living proof that this can be equally true the other way around. For better or worse, this man and his sister are inseparable... some would say in ways they shouldn't be, but they are, nonetheless."

Reiko smiled proudly with a knowing chuckle.

"While his grades were fairly average," Namida said, "I can't shake the feeling that they were only so, because he held himself back. The young man of whom I speak is none other than the very foundation on which his sister stands, and the only other student that I will doubtlessly miss, _just_ as much as I look forward to sending off: Semimaru-Uzumaki Naruto-San."

In the booth, Mikoto snickered. Try as she might, the Uchiha matriarch couldn't help herself.

"I don't envy that woman," Reiko jabbed playfully. "My children can be quite the handful, when they feel like it."

Ayame chuckled, too. Thinking back on all the ridiculous pranks those two were responsible for, she couldn't help but agree.

Much like his sister, Naruto received quite the mixed reception, but payed it no mind. Just as Nariko had, he was handed his ID and one of the "Enigma" plates, before he gave his parting bow to the audience. Then, he turned on his heel and followed Nariko's footsteps offstage in a brisk stride.

* * *

 **The next day...**

* * *

Naruto and Nariko were in quite the sour mood. As usual, the latter showed it more.

Now in their usual attire, the boy wore a displeased scowl, while his sister looked absolutely feral, as they had been dragged into attending an "emergency" meeting with the Tree Councils of Konoha. Of course, they'd expected this to be the result of Yoshiko's reveal, but that didn't keep the twins from feeling just a bit... stabby.

Now surrounded on all sides by little bitches who—to their more feral sides—had no business elevating themselves to imply superiority, Naruto and Nariko kept looking about, wishing they could simultaneously glare at all the parties they didn't like.

"Now that we're here," Hiruzen started, causing the twins to jolt at the sudden shattering of silence, "would someone mind explaining why we're here?"

"The Councils demand to know why we were not informed of the Uzumaki Clan's intent to repopulate," Danzou answered.

Had it not been for ANBU Unit 13 and Reiko's presence, Nariko might have been so on edge as to jump at the one-eyed man for his response. "'Cause it ain't your fuckin' business!"

"Show respect you little—" Councilwoman Mebuki started, only to be interrupted by Naruto.

"She is not wrong," he deadpanned. "We simply had no legal obligation to inform you and chose not to. It's no more complicated than that." The blond punctuated his retort with a shrug, as if to show his indifference towards the Head of Real Estate.

"I will have you know that the Uzumaki are among the founding families of the village," Danzou argued.

"Which makes the Uzumaki Clan allies with Konoha," Reiko pointed out, "not citizens. Even if it did, that status was changed, the instant Shoki-Sama founded the Pit." the one eyed woman then sent a piercing look, hidden behind a sickly-sweet grin. "We're not stupid, Danzou-San; please do refrain form disrespecting us by failing to act like it."

"Fat lotta good that shit did our kin, anyways," Nariko grumbled, crossing her arms with a huff. "What their alliance it do to prevent the Uzushio Massacre, again? Oh, right..."

"Now, see here," Elder Koharu started, but, again, Naruto found himself interrupting a little bitch.

"It _is_ a legitimate question," he pointed out, subtly flashing a one-finger salute, while pushing up his shades. "If it wasn't for the Elder Council's assertive bid to have Konoha, and I quote, 'cut her losses', two weeks in advance of the Three Nation Army landing on Uzushio's shores, we might not need to repopulate. This fact, in particular, left us feeling... disinclined to inform the councils—you three, especially—of our plans to do so."

Danzou, Homura, and Koharu all scowled at that.

"We could've assisted with your efforts, had we been informed," Councilwoman Tsubaki contested.

"Be that as it may," Naruto stated, turning to the woman in question, "we owe the councils nothing, and would frankly prefer to keep it that way."

* * *

 **Several moments later...**

* * *

Finally back in his old classroom, Iruka stood before most of the graduates—a pair of blonds remaining conspicuously absent, at the moment.

Now garbed in a large coat with round-lens sunglasses, biker shorts, and hiking boots, Aburame Kemushi sulked in the corner, worried about what may have happened to her crush. Shizuka and Hinata were just as nervous, and just as depressed, for the exact same reason.

Though the latter two hadn't interacted with the Aburame girl, they could tell she shared their feelings, at the moment. Perhaps they should talk to her about that kiss, yesterday? Would she be able to shed some light on Nariko's reaction? Hinata was especially curious.

"Nara Shikamaru," Iruka called out, "you are to be placed in the reserves under the tutelage of Sarutobi Asuma, until a slot in someone's team opens up."

Off in one of the corners of the room, a snoozing young man with a flaring ponytail mumbled the word "troublesome" in his sleep.

Iruka grumbled under his breath, but continued, knowing that lazy-ass brat heard him, somehow.

"Haruno Sakura," the Chuunin said, getting the pinkette's attention. "You will be occupying the vacant slot in Squad Seven, under the tutelage of Uchiha Izumi."

Then, a sudden vortex of blue rose petals grabbed everyone's attention, as Naruto appeared in the center of the classroom, a blushing and purring, but still grumpy-looking Nariko held in a bridal carry.

Shizuka couldn't keep the jealous scowl off her face, while Hinata and Kemushi both looked visibly relieved.

"Glad you could join us," Iruka commented. "You're just in time for team placement. Please, have a seat."

"Hey," a young man called out indignantly. He had red, triangular tattoos on his face and was decked out in a fur-lined hoodie with cargo pants and combat boots. This young man was Inuzuka Kiba. "Why did you give me hell for being late, but not them?"

"Because, we'd have been on time, had it not for the Elder Council being comprised of rancid, little shits," Naruto deadpanned.

Iruka cleared his throat. "With that out of the way," he said, "let's continue, shall we?"

Naruto nodded and took a seat up in the back, next to Akari, while letting Nariko sit in his lap.

Said blonde then nuzzled up to his chest and purred louder.

"Since you three would qualify as a special case," the Chuunin instructor announced, "I may as well get you out of the way. Semimaru Akari, Semimaru-Uzumaki Naruto, and Semimaru-Uzumaki Nariko are to be henceforth recognized as an official mercenary unit for the Uchiha and Hyuuga Clans, with Mitarashi Anko as their Jounin instructor, under the title of Squad Zero."

"What the hell's all that supposed to mean?" The one who asked was a visibly befuddled Kiba.

"It basically means that we're recognized as hired thugs with no official rank," Naruto replied, "we are technically foreigners, after all, so we cannot become official ninja."

"Then, why were you allowed to attend the academy?"

"To prove our worth."

Iruka cleared his throat, again, ensuring an end to the boys' conversation, before Kiba could ask about Shizuka and Hinata. Then, the Chuunin looked at Naruto, in particular. "You and Nariko will be expected to start your community service, once your Jounin Instructor arrives."

The blond in question nodded in understanding.

Meanwhile, Hinata blushed at the vivid memories of why he and Nariko had to do that.

"Moving on," Iruka said, "Squad Eight will be comprised of Uchiha Shizuka, Hyuu—" he paused, clearing his throat, again, "Hinata of the Pit," that was harder than he thought it would be to get used to... "and, Inuzuka Kiba."

"What?!" The indignant cry came from Shizuka. "Why are we stuck with the dead last?"

"Because you two are the rookies of the year," Naruto explained.

"Precisely," their instructor added, "As a way to promote teamwork, you and Hinata are responsible for helping Kiba catch up, while his responsibility is to shape up or ship out." He then gave said Inuzuka a flat look for punctuation, as if to say, "you'd better." Then, he finished with, "you three will be placed under the command of Yuuhi Kurenai. May the Gods have mercy on your souls..."

Shizuka and Hinata didn't like the sound of that.

Meanwhile, Kiba, being a stereotypical sixteen-year-old male, cackled lecherously at the thought of ending up on the same team as two of the hottest women in class.

Sensing the boy's intentions, Nariko growled silently.

"Moving on," Iruka declared, "Team Ten will be comprised of..."

...three faceless fucksticks with no importance to this story.

What? At least I'm honest...

While their Chuunin instructor was busy naming off the members and commanding officers of any remaining teams, skipping over the numbers still in circulation, Naruto spared a glance at Kiba behind his shades.

 _'That one might be... problematic,'_ the blond thought. _'I may need to keep an eye on him.'_

* * *

 _Hours_ later, the newly named Squad Zero and Squad Eight were visibly getting bored, as they awaited their new instructors' arrivals... well... new, in the latter's case, at least.

The rest of their peers had long-since left, obviously...

Having hopped outta her brother's lap an hour ago, Nariko yawned obnoxiously. Not wanting to get into more trouble than she already was in, making out with Naruto was off the table, so she settled for the next best thing and whipped out a little, orange book.

Upon the novel's unveiling, Hinata did a double-take and tried her damnedest not to visibly salivate. _'That's an original hard-back of the Icha-Icha Platinum Collection's Volume Thirteen,'_ the former Hyuuga inwardly gushed. _'I thought every copy in the continent was destroyed in the Great Pornferno!'_ Then, Hinata noticed something on the cover—something that nearly made her shit bricks. _'Wait... Is that... Holy, shit, it's even autographed Jiraiya-Sama, himself! How?! Where did she even_ get _that?!'_

Shizuka, meanwhile, had question marks floating above her head, not knowing what her best friend's deal was. Naruto and Akari sat there keeping watch over Nariko, Shizuka, and Hinata. Finally, as for Kiba...

"WHERE THE FUCK IS SHE?!"

Needless to say, he was getting impatient...

All of Squad Zero nearly jumped outta their skins at the sudden shout, before glaring at the fucker and returning to what they'd been doing.

Seemingly ignorant to the brief wave of animosity aimed towards him, Kiba grumbled to himself over having to wait nearly three hours for his sensei to arrive. Where was she, indeed?

Staring at the sliding door for a moment longer, then looking on over to the blackboard, a light bulb flashed to life above the Inuzuka's head. Without even a second thought, he then checked to see if someone was coming, before snatching up a board eraser to lodge into the threshold.

"Really, Kiba?" Shizuka was not amused.

"What," Kiba asked indignantly. "Hell, even I was only half an hour late! We've been waiting almost six times that long! Even by _my_ standards, there's no excuse!"

Shizuka huffed at her new teammate's childish antics, but said nothing further.

Then, everyone went back to waiting for their teachers... for yet another hour...

Eventually, the slide of wood indicated a new visitor at long last. Then, there was a thump and a plop, as two-tone crimson eyes gave Nariko a flat look, while Kiba burst out laughing.

The blonde looked up from her book, sensing the gaze upon her. Then mirrored the older woman's expression. "Bitch, how _dare_ you accuse me o' some'n so amateur?"

His mood doing a sudden one-eighty, Kiba glared at Nariko, as she continued.

"Sure, when I was three, I did that more 'an once," she said, "but, nowadays, the shit I pull's gonna be remembered for _centuries_." Upon that last word, the blonde punctuated her claim with a malevolent grin.

Kurenai scowled at Nariko for her blatant disrespect, but what the blonde said was far from untrue. Furthermore, Kiba's sudden shift in mood made it clear who the culprit was. "Fair enough," the Jounin sighed, knowing full well that starting argument with someone like Nariko would just be a waste of time... and likely result in said blonde trying to tar and feather her. No one needed that...

"I'm here to pick up Squad Eight," the Jounin stated, going straight to business. "Those of you among them, meet me on the roof." With that, she was gone with a literal poof.

Shizuka sighed and got up, having a much-needed stretch, after sitting for so long. Hinata and Kiba followed suit, then, the sound of a dog's whimper sounded from the latter's hoodie.

"I know, right," Kiba asked, seemingly talking to the now-moving bulge in his top. Then, as if on cue, a little white, floppy-eared puppy poked its head out from the collar with a yap, prompting its owner to chuckle.

Once the other team left the room, and no sooner, Naruto looked to the wall on his left and asked, "so why was she so late?"

Whatever technique was concealing the subject of his attention lifted, revealing a woman in an open, tan trench coat and skirt over a fishnet fishnet bodysuit. She wore combat boots with steel greaves, and upon her forehead was a metal-plated headband engraved with the Kanji for enigma—the new, official "village" plate of the Pit.

This woman was Mitarashi Anko, and she was feeling damn good to be back in her old gear, again. Granted, it did have to be re-sized, for obvious reasons—two particularly sizable ones, especially... She wasn't fourteen, anymore, after all. But, it still felt good!

Answering Naruto's question, Anko replied, "Hiashi and Mikoto had a few... understandings to make with Kurenai-Chan." she then shrugged, "'Turns out, she's also a bit of a feminist. Not the good kind, either... So, Tsume also gave her an earful, making it clear what would happen if our new 'friend' ended up neglecting her son in favor of his female teammates."

"Tsume-San cares more about her kits than she lets on, apparently," Naruto mused.

"She's a bit of a tough love type," Anko admitted, "but, she's still a mother, at the end of the day."

Naruto nodded thoughtfully. That made sense, actually...

Nariko, meanwhile, couldn't help but think about her birth mother, wondering what life might've been like, had that incident with Kakashi not happened. Thoughts for later...

"So," said blonde asked, "what's the plan, Sensei?"

"Officially," Anko replied, "we have your sentence to deal with."

* * *

Meanwhile, on the roof, Shizuka, Hinata, and Kiba sat before their new instructor, giving her their undivided attention.

"Alright," Kurenai said, "might as well get introductions out of the way." Looking at the kids she was placed in charge of, she continued, "I'd like to know a bit about you: names, for obvious reasons; hobbies; likes and dislikes; dreams or goals for the future..." Upon her students' vacant expressions, she shrugged. "I may as well go first, then...

Very well then... My name is Yuuhi Kurenai. My only real hobby is gardening. I'm also a big fan of hard liquor, though, and am always eager to try new kinds—especially vodka. I don't like anything that's shy of one-hundred-proof, though. Nor do I like cake..." Kurenai found herself lost in thought for a moment. "My goal is to show that women are just as capable as men on the field and hopefully encourage more girls to chase their dreams, whatever they may be."

Then, she looked at the boy before her and said, "You! You're next."

Kiba blinked owlishly, not expecting to be put on the spot like that, but brushed it off, easily. "My name's Inuzuka Kiba," he declared with a smug grin. Then, he gestured to the dog in his hoodie, "and, this is my partner, Akamaru. My hobbies are taking walks and training. I like meat, pretty girls, and kicking ass! I don't like cats, and my dream is to become the most badass ninja this whole damn village has ever seen!"

There was a bit of an awkward silence in the wake of his declaration...

 _'Charming,'_ Kurenai thought, sarcastically.

Then, Shizuka shrugged and went next.

"My name is Uchiha Shizuka," the young heiress boasted, twice as proudly, then she shrugged in disinterest. "I don't like many things and I dislike several." She then gave Kiba a flat look. "You, especially."

Hinata couldn't help but giggle at that, causing the Inuzuka to deflate, just a bit.

"My goals," the Uchiha continued, "are to snatch a certain someone from that whore he calls a sister... and, maybe, take out that fucker responsible for most of my clan being wiped out."

That last statement dripped with enough venom to kill an elephant...

"That's all I'm willing to share, at the moment," Shizuka finished with a smugness and tone that practically screamed, "you're not worthy of knowing anything else!"

Kurenai was far from pleased with this one's attitude, in particular. But, that could be dealt with, later...

With the other two outta the way, Hinata figured she might as well get this over with. Sigh and blushing, she fidgeted, as everyone's attention turned to her.

"M-my name is Hinata," the former Hyuuga stated. "J-just... just Hinata, now..." There was a slight bitterness in her tone, prompting Shizuka to place a comforting hand on Hinata's shoulder. The former Hyuuga smiled at her friend, before continuing. "I... I like being with my friend, Shizuka," she gestured at the woman in question, "as well as pressing flowers. I also like cinnamon rolls, and... um..." she blushed, "a certain someone."

She was also a big fan of trashy smut novels, but was feeling... disinclined to share that bit of information.

"I also hate anyone who disrespects Naruto-Kun..." the cold, soulless tone in which Hinata muttered this had visibly started both Kurenai and Kiba.

"Right..." the Jounin said uncomfortably.

Hinata turned beet red, realizing she'd said that out loud. "I, uh.. S-sorry..." she said, awkwardly trying to continue, as if that hadn't happened, "I... I also dislike mean or selfish people... and shellfish... especially shellfish... They're gross... and..." Hinata paused. "Th-that's about it."

Not true... she also didn't like it when people criticized her favorite reading material. But, again, Hinata wasn't about to share that, just yet...

"My goals are to someday prove that I'm not as weak as everyone thinks I am... and to... to f-find a place by Naruto-Kun's side," Hinata finished, averting her gaze with a heavy blush.

Kiba scowled at that last part. Looks like he needed to do some snatching of his own. Oh, well... The best things in life were worth fighting for, eh?

With this chapter's thinly veiled exposition dump outta the way, Kurenai nodded in satisfaction. _'So, we have a wannabe action hero, an arrogant, little shit with a crush, and a dejected misfit with a... possibly-unhealthy crush on the same guy,'_ she thought. Then, she shrugged. _'It could be worse. Let's just hope the girls don't take their rivalry too far.'_

"Very well, then," Kurenai said, nodding respectfully. "Thank you for sharing." Then, she put her hands behind her back and started pacing. "Under normal circumstances, you'd be my students from here on out." She shot her squad a deadly serious look. "However, the academy's track record for being overly-lax in recent years leaves me questioning the legitimacy of your accomplishments." Kurenai then looked at Kiba, in particular. "Especially considering that _you_ were able to pass."

"Hey!" Kiba looked utterly indignant, while Akamaru whimpered in what curiously sounded like an unamused deadpan tone. Kiba then glared at the pup and muttered, "you're not helping..."

"That said," Kurenai continued, "you three will be required to pass one more test. Should you fail, I _will_ send you back to the academy, without hesitation."

"What?!" Shizuka's shriek could literally be heard from a block away. "That's bullshit!"

Kurenai stopped her pacing with an audible stomp. "That's final," she barked, "I am your commanding officer. You will do as I say or be charged with insubordination." Her deadly-serious tone left no room for argument.

The three students were silent.

"You will meet me at Training Ground Three at 5am, tomorrow," Kurenai stated, "if either of you is so much a a _minute_ late, you will all fail, immediately. Am I clear?"

"Yes, Sensei," the group replied in unison, albeit grudgingly.

"Good," Kurenai nodded. "Until then, you three have the day off." Then, as if as an afterthought, she added, "oh! One more thing..." Secretly, she was glad to have been standing downwind from Kiba. "you might want to avoid eating breakfast, tomorrow. If you don't, you _will_ throw up." Then, Yuuhi Kurenai, their new instructor, was gone in a swirl of cherry blossom petals.

Needless to say, the newly-formed Squad Eight did _not_ look forward to that test.

Meanwhile, no one noticed the presence of an uninvited guest floating above—invisible to the naked eye, with his Chakra signature masked to the point that even most Sensor-Class ninja would've been hard-pressed to detect him.

* * *

The next day, at Training Ground Three, Shizuka and Hinata both groggily stumbled to the center of the establishment, Natsu in tow. Both girls were tired, hungry and cranky, not that their bodyguard could blame them. They were simply not used to getting up at such an ungodly hour as 3:30am, skipping breakfast and walking half a mile—hell no one likely was, nor _should_ they be... It seemed unhealthy.

Fortunately, Kiba wasn't willing to risk his career, either, and arrived early, for once. Then again, if he was the reason the girls he was so blatantly ogling, yesterday had failed, then his chances to end up with either one of them would be utterly nonexistent. Granted, they had no intention to even _consider_ him, romantically, but his interest in them did provide further motivation for the young Inuzuka to avoid being a liability. If nothing else, that was a nice perk.

Sure enough, Kurenai was there, waiting for them.

She was quite dressed oddly for the occasion, though, considering her role as a kunoichi: she wore a crimson dress under a white flack jacket; upon her forehead was a crimson headband with a Konoha village plate, and upon her feet were a pair of black, knee-high boots. Her dress was also quite odd: resembling more of a robe, which reached down to just past her knees, and was rocking only a single, bell-style sleeve that ended upon the knuckles of her left hand. Finally, to finish off the look, Kurenai also wore a utility belt, while her hands and forearms were bundled up in white cloth, the manner in which she wrapped them resembling gloves... in lieu of wearing actual gloves... for some reason.

"I'm glad you could make it," Kurenai called out, pushing herself off the tree she'd previously been leaning on. She really was... her previous teams had been rather disappointing, so this was a good start, if nothing else. "I suppose now's as good a time as any to start, then."

With that, the five visible people present gathered in the center of the training ground.

As was the case for most, Training Ground Three was very much on the simplistic side: consisting of a dirt clearing in the woods with three large, wooden posts wrapped in rope. Aside from that, it was completely barren: distinguished only by its location.

Out of a pouch in her vest, Kurenai produced a pair of jungle bells on a string. This got her students, immediately; then, she addressed them. "Your test is simple," the Jounin stated, "three students, two bells. If you want to continue your careers from here, then you need to prove your worth by acquiring one. Anyone who doesn't have a bell by noon, on the _dot_ , will fail. Am I clear?"

"Crystal," Kiba declared, a smug grin on his face.

Meanwhile, Hinata and Shizuka exchanged a glance. The former pouted, but nodded, and the latter showed her agreement. An understanding—a _plan_ —was made in that very instant, with no need for words. Then, they returned their attention to Kurenai and confirmed their understanding in unison.

"Good," said Jounin replied with a satisfied nod. Then, she tied the bells to a loop in her belt usually used for placing a key ring, and gave the kiddies one last warning. "You _will_ fail, if you don't come at me with the intent to kill. If you want out, you can leave at any time."

She spared each student a look and was pleased to see that even Hinata sported a look of determination.

 _'Looks like I may have underestimated her,'_ Kurenai thought. _'I may need to keep an eye on the girl, if they pass.'_

Kiba unzipped his hoodie and let Akamaru hop out, while Hinata and Shizuka took on defensive stances in their respective clans' fighting styles.

Natsu, on the other hand, ran off to one of the training posts and hopped on, using it as an elevated stool. Placing the bag she'd brought with on her lap, the young Cadet then activated her Byakugan: keeping watch, until she was needed.

"You can use any tools you've brought with you, as well as any techniques you know," Kurenai said, "to make things easy on you, I will not be using my main hand for the duration of the test." She raised her right hand as an indication, before placing it behind her back. Then, she shouted, "begin!"

In an instant, both Shizuka and Hinata slapped their hands into a pair of tiger seals and flickered out of sight, while Kiba and Akamaru leaped forward to challenge the Jounin directly.

Disappointment and irritation flashed in Kurenai's eyes, before she "engaged" the Inuzuka and his companion. That word was used rather lightly, though, as all she need to do was casually bat them aside with a vicious backhand and slap, respectively/

"Fuck," Kiba grunted on impact, sent flying from the assault. Soon after, his mood only soured more, as he heard Akamaru's yelp.

With renewed vigor, the young Inuzuka, rolled to his feet a good five meters away, and leaped with a shout of, "you bitch!" In mid-flight, he then started to spin, casting one of his clan's most famous Taijutsu, "Gatsuga!"

Upon that cry, Inuzuka Kiba spun horizontally at inhuman speed, replaced by a vortex of motion, as he careened towards his instructor like a missile. With a yap, Akamaru did the same: technique and all, aiming his assault at Kurenai's legs, while Kiba went for her chest.

All-in-all, the whole damn thing would've been far more badass, had the two living missiles not so thoroughly resembled giant, flying sperm cells...

Also quite unfortunately, their target effortlessly evaded them: needing only a last-minute, backward hop to do so. As she did, Kurenai reached out with her senses, looking to locate her other, conspicuously absent students. She found them instantly, taking note of their intentions.

 _'So, they're looking to use Kiba as a scapegoat, are they?'_ That thought didn't please her in the slightest. Not even five minutes in, and it already looked like her new team would fail. _'That's too bad... Oh, well, they still have plenty of time. Let's hope they don't disappoint me too much, before we finish.'_

Meanwhile, an uninvited guest—still invisible to all present—detected the Jounin's displeasure and quickly started connecting the dots.

As the boy and his dog flew past her, Kurenai observed their mobility: gauging all the "hows" of their technique—how they moved; how fast they could; how well they could turn; and how long it would take for the damn thing to peter out.

Sure enough, it did so rather swiftly.

Almost immediately, though, there was another yell of "Gatsuga" followed by a second yip, and it all started over again.

Kurenai only continued to duck and weave, effortlessly evading them, as she continued her observation.

Apparently, this "Gatsuga" technique of theirs only lasted about a minute—more than enough to end a conflict, if used correctly, but she was simply too far out of their league for it to be all that effective.

Almost immediately after the techniques fizzled, once more, there was a third yip and yell of "Gatsuga!"

Kurenai was no longer interested in observation, though; thus, poor Kiba was met with a twirling sidestep, just before he would've struck his target in the torso, and then... he apparently forgot how to breathe.

Unfortunately for Kiba, the pirouette wasn't just used for evasion... No, Kurenai also used the motion to build momentum for a savage jab to his gut. One bitchslap later, and she sent Akamaru to the ground: landing right next to his owner with a yelp.

"What the hell?" Kiba shouted, "how'd you do that?!"

"Do I need to spell it out for you?" Kurenai scoffed. "While I will openly admit your clan's technique is certainly frightening, it's still a forward thrust, at the end of the day. Just like any other thrust, all of its power is focused in one direction: thus making it vulnerable to lateral force." the Jounin shrugged. "It's basic physics. In short, I just needed to hit you in the side hard enough to cancel your technique."

"Yeah?" Kiba wasn't amused at the sound of it being child's play to cancel his Fang over Fang. "Well, you can take your basic physics and shove 'em up your ass!"

"Charming," Kurenai muttered sarcastically.

Then, Kiba popped what looked like a black gumball into his mouth, and flicked one to Akamaru to munch on.

Said pup happily snatched the little ball with a yip, and... started to change, the instant he chewed and swallowed it. Now, he looked more feral: his fur flaring out, as it turned red.

 _'Huh... so I take it that's why he's named Akamaru, then...'_ Kurenai mused.

"Gatsuga!"

"Aaand, here, we go, again..." the Jounin sighed.

* * *

Meanwhile, still hidden among the surrounding shrubbery, Shizuka and Hinata observed their opponent... and they were not pleased. Despite Kiba being surprisingly reasonable in combat, Kurenai was still too damn powerful... no, that was an understatement; she fucking _owned_ him!

As was the case in a game of chess, it was easier to see what the players were up to from the sidelines, and in this case, the Jounin was utterly—albeit subtly—dominating their teammate. Rarely did she need to move so much as a few inches, when she dodged; never did she need to move her right arm from behind her back—not even for balance; always did she hit her mark, when she struck, and even when Kiba and Akamaru came back for more, she remained calm, collected, and fucking _deadly_! Hell, she didn't even need to look at the one she was hitting, half the time! She just knew he was there and took a swing!

So, _this_ was a Jounin... The thought scared them both. How were they even supposed to get close, let alone pass her test?!

Shizuka did her best to come up with some sort of strategy, but struggled... the fact that she was so damn hungry and still tired didn't exactly help. A frontal assault was suicide. Attacking from the sides proved ineffective, even for both Kiba and Akamaru... and, loathe as she was to admit it, they were actually _faster_ than her, when using that technique of theirs. So, what options were there?

Perhaps a Body Flicker to get behind her? Her reflexes would prove a challenge, but—

The Uchiha's train of thought was interrupted by Hinata's yelp, as the latter spun around and attempted to liquefy the inside of whomever just _dared_ to touch her... oh!

Hinata's hand was caught at the wrist by a very familiar blond, and suddenly, she forgot how to breathe. Naruto then placed a finger on his lips, gesturing for them to be quiet, before releasing her hand and producing a pair of energy bars from his coat.

Upon the sight food, both Shizuka and Hinata turned beet red and the audible growls emanating from their bellies.

Naruto couldn't help but smile in amusement, before handing the bars over and giving Shizuka a small note. She and Hinata stared at it, as the former grabbed the folded paper.

By the time either of them looked up, the enigmatic object of their affection was already gone without a trace.

* * *

Kiba flew back with an audible thud; Akamaru followed soon after, finally rendered unconscious.

Kurenai ignored the latter, as she loomed over her sole male student... a student that continued to look infinitely more temporary by the second. He just didn't get the point of this test, did he? Shizuka and Hinata clearly didn't either, and time was a-wasting!

It hadn't even been thirty minutes, yet, so there was still hope. Kurenai was more than willing and patient enough to wait it out. But, she would most certainly be pissed, if it turned out that the Rookie of the Year and her runner up proved to not be worth all that time...

Did the academy's standards truly sink so low? That question irked her.

Kiba struggled to his feet, only top be sent back down with a vicious bitchslap.

"Tell me," Kurenai said, "how did you pass? Dead last in every subject, barely-passing grades, atrocious attendance... " Kurenai's left hand found itself on her hip, as she gave the boy before her a condescending look. "Surely, someone with a track record like that shouldn't have been able to graduate from the same academy as the Yondaime... so, how?"

Kiba scoffed. "Isn't it obvious?"

Kurenai quirked an eyebrow, awaiting his answer.

"I'm just that damn badass!"

The Jounin scoffed. "Yes, I'm sure your mother is so proud," she jabbed, ripping a snarl from Kiba. "The laughing stock of the academy, dead last of the year..." Kurenai chuckled. "She _clearly_ raised you well..."

"ALRIGHT, THAT'S IT!"

With that shout, Kiba leaped towards his instructor with renewed vigor, arms stretched wide.

Feeling in no mood to be glomped, Kurenai responded with a backward flip kick to the chin. Before gravity even had a chance to take effect, she then jumped up and gave him a heel kick to the gut, sending him flying a good ten feet. Then, she vanished and reappeared beneath him, kicking him another direction. Then, she reappeared, and sent him flying in yet another direction... and another... and another...

Kiba lost count of how many times he was launched one way or the other, before his assailant let him drop, just enough to send him flying into a one of the training posts with a spinning scissor kick.

Then, Kurenai's eyes shot wide open, as someone flickered into existence behind her, just as she landed: taking a swipe at the bells. She responded by spinning around and delivering a vicious backhand to the former Hyuuga's cheek—only for Hinata to literally go up in smoke, replaced by a splintered log.

Then, the Jounin muttered, "oh, hell, no!"

She disappeared, an instant before the spot she'd previously occupied was engulfed in a massive fireball, twice as wide as she was tall. Its caster, Shizuka, fond herself just about to receive an incapacitating swat to the back of her head, only to be replaced by Hinata in another poof of smoke.

Kurenai backed off, using her hand, instead, to swat at the palm strikes that would surely fuck her up, if so much as a _glancing_ blow connected. Such was the danger of fighting a Hyuuga—former or otherwise.

It didn't take long for their little dance to come to an end, though, as Kurenai spotted an opening and wove around Hinata's guard to deliver a savage uppercut to the ribs... only for Hinata to go up in smoke, again, and be replaced by yet another log. This one, however, was covered in little notes, bearing arcane runes that spelled all sorts trouble.

"Shit!"

A massive explosion rocked the training ground, leaving only a ten-foot-deep crater in its wake. On the other side of the clearing, Kurenai panted. Damn, that was closer than expected! She was legitimately impressed.

Getting her bearings straight in an instant, the Jounin immediately noticed something—or someone, rather—missing: the fucking _entirety_ of her squad. Hell, even the dog was gone! Kurenai blinked owlishly. Not only had Shizuka and Hinata made a swift retreat, but they actually scooped up Kiba and Akamaru, while they were at it?!

She blinked some more, as if doing so would lift some kind of hallucination she may have suffered from... only for them all to still be gone. "Okay, then," she muttered, "now, I'm _thoroughly_ impressed."

Taking a deep breath, Kurenai stood there... and waited. She tapped her foot for a bit, before doing a few stretches. For what felt like ages, the minutes crawled on by, as she waited to see what those three were up to... and to see if they really were worth all this time she was giving them.

Then, she heard a loud, sudden smack reverberate off the trees, followed by something else...

"BITCH, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT A WOMAN WHO JUST JUGGLED YOU WITH HER _FEET_!" The only thing that startled Kurenai more than the shout was the voice to whom it belonged. "YOU'VE GOT THREE CHOICES: SHAPE UP, SHIP OUT, OR I LIQUIFY YOUR INTESTINES!"

The poor Jounin was in utter shock. "That has got to be a Genjutsu..." There was just no way that could possibly be Hinata... could it?

As if reading her mind... and reminding you that she existed, Natsu spoke up in a horrified deadpan. "I wish."

Kurenai's gaze turned to the Cadet so quickly as to nearly give herself whiplash. "WHAT?!"

"Believe me," Natsu said, "I was just as shocked to discover that Hitomi-Sama had given birth to such a vulgar young woman. I'm _still_ puzzling over how it could've possibly occurred."

* * *

Meanwhile, Kiba was so damn startled that he nearly shat himself. Did _Hinata_ , of all people, really just slap him?! What the fuck? Wasn't she supposed to be the timid one?!

"Oh, believe me," Shizuka scoffed, "I would love to just let you fail, if I could. But, I'd fail, if I did, and so would Hinata. I don't want that, so for better or worse, I'm stuck with you, until your dumb ass eventually gets itself killed."

Kiba shot her a vicious glare, understandably not taking kindly to that. So they _were_ trying to throw him under the...

Busses don't exist in this universe... under the wagon? The train, perhaps?

Ah, fuck it!

So, they _were_ trowing him to the wolves, earlier! He knew it!

Contrary to popular belief, Kiba wasn't an idiot. He _was_ a lazy-ass, little fuck, mind you, and twice as arrogant as most people thought he was; but, he wasn't quite stupid.

"Oh, don't give me that look," Shizuka barked. "You're dead weight, and you know it! Want me to say otherwise? Prove me wrong!"

Akamaru whimpered in annoyance.

Kiba glared at the pup. "You have no idea how much I _wish_ you didn't have a point."

Said pup responded with a yip, prompting his companion to sigh heavily.

The Inuzuka then glared at the girls. "Fine! What's the plan?"

* * *

Kurenai continued to wait patiently, knowing that her squad was scheming something. She could sense it from here. It took more self control than is really should have to keep from grinning. While the Jounin didn't often like being proven wrong, this was most _certainly_ an exception.

They were getting up, now. Soon after, he felt Hinata and Shizuka's Chakra explode to life.

"Oh," Kurenai thought aloud. "He gave them some soldier pills?" That was about as far from expected as it could get, considering the animosity and sense betrayal the she'd detected...

Then, she snapped to attention, as no less than ten fireballs about as big as her head careened towards the Jounin in rapid succession. The projectiles had no hope of hitting her, though, as she expertly dodged them, only to find Kiba and Akamaru spinning to her from the sides—as the had, so many times, before. Not at all feeling threatened, Kurenai ducked and wove, to evade them just as easily as the fireballs.

But, then, just as Kiba flew past, he was replaced by an unexpected poof, from which Shizuka emerged with a roundhouse kick aimed at Kurenai's head.

Both women's eyes went wide, as the blow actually _connected_. Despite staggering a bit, though, Kurenai recovered quickly, as Shizuka followed with a spinning heel kick.

The blow was parried quite cheerfully, pulling a disappointed grunt from the Uchiha, who then transitioned into an axe kick. Kurenai needed only to step back, though, so Shizuka charged in with a series of rapid jabs, only scoring a few glancing blows, at best. Then, she "poofed" out of Kurenai's sight, as Akamaru tore through the smoke to try and hit Kurenai square in the chest.

But, then, she melted into a flurry of cherry blossoms: having little choice but to flicker out of the way, as her natural speed would've simply not sufficed.

As soon as she landed, Shizuka and Kiba were on her like white on rice, doing their best to incapacitate her. It didn't matter how hard they tried, though; it didn't matter that she still had her main arm behind her back; Kurenai was still in a league of her own, by comparison.

First Shizuka was sent flying with a jab to the gut, followed by Kiba—a savage roundhouse to the face rewarding him for his troubles. But, then, from behind, a hand shot to the bells on Kurenai's belt. The other two were just a distraction!

Unfortunately, her target knew Hinata was there, the _instant_ she flickered into position. Again, the former Hyuuga found herself grabbed at the wrist—this time by Kurenai's... right hand.

It wasn't in vain, though, as said Jounin was quite pleased.

This was exactly what she wanted to see...

"Congratulations," Kurenai chirped. "You pass!"

* * *

 **Some time later...**

* * *

Nariko sat there on a toilet, waiting for her test results to show. In all realism, the quaint, little device was just a waste of money, given both Naruto's sense of smell and her own instincts, but there was just something about doing this that felt... right, somehow? She honestly didn't know why...

The blonde smiled and blushed with a happy sigh; seeing the test slowly show a positive result made her absolutely giddy! Oh, how badly she wished her mate was here to snuggle!

But, alas, she'd have to wait for him to return.

Oh, well... She glanced at the clock and realized it was getting close to breakfast time. Best get started on feeding the munchkin, eh? With that thought in mind, Nariko disposed of the test, washed her hands, and headed on out.

Not long after, she started buttering her favorite pan.

While she was at it, Nariko absently wondered how it became popular belief that sugary, chemical-laden breakfast cereals were somehow good for one's kids. Seriously, how the fuck _could_ they be? First off, starting your day of with so much sugar was bad enough for you... but, on a daily basis? That was a nutritional deficiency waiting to happen! Never mind the potential risk of heart disease and diabetes... not to mention the abundance of potential cognitive disorders.

No, a good plate of scrambled eggs, lightly fried with real butter was the way to go... well, one of them, at least. Again, contrary to popular belief, that was actually _good_ for one's heart. A bit of fresh garlic, and _just_ enough iodised sea salt, only added to the health benefits.

The rise of margarine's popularity, as well as these common misconceptions, would only serve to fuck people over in upcoming decades, she'd wager. Hell, even _bacon_ was healthier!

But, that was neither here nor there...

First order of business was to season and saute some 'shrooms and onions, before adding the eggs and chopped garlic. It all only took a bit, as Nariko blazed through preparing what most civilians would make for a family twice as big as hers.

"Yoshiko-Chan," she called, knowing full well that the smell of food had doubtlessly roused the little ginger. "Breakfast!"

The patter of tiny feet sounded as said munchkin bolted to a bar stool placed before the counter, cheerfully waiting for her mommy to dish up some food.

"Eager, aren't we?"

Yoshiko giggled, causing her mother to grin wide. Then, the kid's food started vanishing at an utterly-inhuman rate.

At that, Nariko couldn't help but chuckle. Oh, how she looked forward to many, many more mornings like this... and the several more kids to come.

Then, the blonde suddenly asked, "so, how'd it go?" She didn't even need to look; Nariko knew her brother was there; she couldn't _possibly_ mistake that scent.

"Without a hitch," Naruto replied. "Genin Squad Eight has been recognized by their commanding officer as an official unit of Konohagakure no Sato. They've also been given the rest of the day off so they can recover—Kiba-San, especially; he took most of the beating."

"So she's as much of a hard-ass as Anko-Neechan said, eh?"

"Indeed." Naruto sighed. "Even I took a moment to determine the objective of their test... but I managed."

Nariko smiled, before approaching her mate. Only grinning more widely as he wrapped his arms around her, the blonde then snuggled close.

"So, how are you feeling?"

Nariko hugged her brother more tightly, before answering. "Glad ta have ya back... It gets so lonely withoutchya, here..." After a brief pause, she asked, "so, what's on the schedule?"

"I have already filed the report to Hiashi-Sama and Mikoto-Sama," Naruto replied. "Ayame-Neechan is also on her way, as we speak. The only thing left is eight hours of community service. We have been assigned to garbage duty in Sector Five."

In other words, they needed to send a couple clones to dick around, while Akari cleans up the whole damn place in five seconds. _'Noted...'_ Nariko grinned impishly. _'Be a good boy, and I might just give you a nice reward, when Yoshiko-Chan takes a nap.'_

"Your food's in the mic," Nariko said, "didn't expectchya back so soon."

Naruto smiled and nodded, but stayed put, taking the opportunity snuggle with his mate for just a bit longer.

The smile never left Nariko's face, that day...

* * *

 **Done!**

 **I dunno... I suppose that ending could be better, but it'll do.**

 **They say an artist often is their own harshest critic; I'm no exception. I _did_ learn how to use colons and semicolons, though. That was fun. :)**

 **Now, that the Genin Exam Arc has officially come to a close, I can start with the next: the Missions Arc... I may change that into something a bit more spicy, but it'll do as a placeholder, lol.**

 **I've already got some good chunks written and planned out, but with the wedding and move coming up, I'm not gonna be able to update for a while. I'm actually cutting it close, right now, as my flight's taking off, _very_ soon. Long-distance relationships are not easy, but, we're hoping to finally close the gap, once and for all.**

 **On the upside, I will have several chapters written in advance, when I do start updating, again. So, when that day finally comes, I'm gonna be updating more regularly. Hopefully once a month. That way, I don't have to worry about writer's block causing content droughts like this, again. Believe me, I was probably just as annoyed as some of you were—if not more so.**

 **But, shit's getting better, and I look forward to a long and awesome journey with this tale I'm telling. Hope to see you guys again, soon!**

* * *

 **Trivia:**

 **Needless to say, this chapter's _completely_ mature title is a reference to the Bell Test—which I have shamelessly stolen from canon, among other things.**

 **Yoshiko has finally been revealed! Fun fact about red hair: It has a tendency to skip generations, as its quite the picky trait... at least in real life. In fact, it only pops up in kids, when both parents have a ginger in their family tree.**

 **Aburame Kemushi is an original character based on the deadpan loli archetype. While I was writing this chapter, I was greatly inspired by Lelei La Lelena from the anime Gate—Thus, the JSDF Fought There(better known as Gate, for short.. or its Japanese name, Gate—Jieitai Kanochi nite, Kaku Tatakaeri). That said, Kemushi is partially based on her—or, rather her archetype (neither of which are owned by me).**

 **(The anime is owned by Sentai Filmworks and A-1 Pictures; the light novel is the work of Takumi Yanai. I have no part in the ownership of any sources from which my inspiration came, in regards to this character.)**

 **Kemushi's name, according to Google, means caterpillar. This _is_ Google, though, so take that with a grain of salt. I chose this name, as a reference to her young age and the bug theme of her clan. (As a side note: anyone who wants to use her for a fanfic can feel free to lemme know in a PM. I'd love to see what other writers would do with her. =3)**

 **As for Uchiha Izumi, I now know that she was Itachi's first victim in the Uchiha Massacre, but I don't give a shit. I needed a name, lol. She may have a decent role in this fic (at least as a background character), but it's hard to say, just yet.**

 **In regards to the Icha Icha Series: I've had some readers wondering why Nariko wasn't a fan of Jiraiya's work. The answer is that she was; it just hadn't come up, until she whipped out an apparently rare ass book in this very chapter. It would also seem that she's not the only fan, lol.**

 **Also in regards to Hinata, can you say sleeping lion? That's what I'm trying to go for, at least.**

 **Kurenai's attire in this fic is mostly original. It _is_ based on her outfits in canon, though—albeit mildly so. She's also a bit more of a badass in this fic, because I felt that she was nothing short of laughable in canon, which was quite sad, really. :(**

 **As a bit of a health nut, I decided to add a bit of nutritional advice at the end, lol. Contrary to popular belief, eggs are quite good for your heart, and those "heart healthy" cereals you're likely munching on are actually very bad for it. There are reasons America has such a bad reputation, in regards to health, after all, and the causes of this problem can be just as surprisingly small as they are abundant. The more you know...**

* * *

 **Techniques Mentioned:**

 **Gatsuuga (Dual Piercing Fang; referred to as Fang over Fang, in the English Dub): a spinning projectile technique utilized by the Inuzuka Clan—typically cast in combination with the user's animal companion. It's an inhumanly fast and powerful thrust—often capable of piercing reinforced concrete, should the caster be strong or skilled enough.**

* * *

 **With that, I bid you all adieu, for now. Hope you enjoyed the finale to the Genin Exams Arc, and that you all have a nice day! :)**


	10. Chapter 9

**Holy shit! It's been a long time, eh? What the hell is up? Lol.**

I do apologize, though. For those of you not watching me on Deviant Art, my poor computer died. So, I had to get a new one and hadn't been able to write for damn near nine months. Then, there was the horrible writer's block. -_- Not fun…

I am back with a vengeance, though, and a new editor, as my wife is understandably not comfortable with the concepts of this story in particular, lol. Plus, she's got her own shit to worry about, so I'd rather not pester her. Thus, the honor goes to the FF user, Spyash2!

 **I've also been doing some collabs with him while combatting my writer's block. Be on the lookout, eh?**

 **Now, without further ado, let's get this shit rollin'!**

* * *

 **Twisted Bonds: the Ultimate Sin**

 **Arc Three: Missionary**

 **Chapter One: Glorified Chores and an Evil Cat**

* * *

All was quite peaceful in a small, wooded thicket, near Konoha. 'Twas the early morn and all seemed well, as sun shone down, the bluebirds sang, and a young, male voice in the distance yelled, "FUCK!"

Suddenly, a small, brown tabby cat with a pink ribbon on her right ear scampered off: tail held high and poofed out to show her great displeasure.

"Damn it, Kiba," Shizuka groaned over the radio, "we almost had her!"

"It's not my fault, this time! The damn thing launched itself at my face!" The young Inuzuka hissed in pain. Yup, he was bleeding. "Motherfucker!"

"The target is heading east," Hinata pointed out.

"On it," Shizuka replied.

With that and an irritated sigh, she was off: chasing after this same damn cat for the third damn time, this _damn_ week! Fuck!

A mercifully-short time later, the disheveled Squad Eight surrounded their quarry. Not taking any chances, Hinata was assigned to snatch her up from behind, while Kiba, Shizuka, and Akamaru distracted the cat. Seeing as how she had the sharpest reflexes among them, the former Hyuuga had the best chance of success.

"Easy, now," Shizuka cautioned, inching towards the cat from in front.

To her left, Akamaru groaned at the déjà vu. This was, what, the fifth time they tried this shit, today? Ugh…

To Shizuka's right, Kiba slunk forth. Outta the lot of them, he was in the worst condition. Stupid cat…

Speaking of, said feline was looking rather pissed. Rearing back, she let out an ungodly yowl and prepared to pounce. But, just as her feet left the ground, Hinata snatched the little fucker by the scruff of her neck and immediately proceeded to try and stuff her into a pet carrier.

Seeing her friend struggle, Shizuka helped. Several moments and a few creative streams of obscenities later, the cat was stuffed into her little taxi—the door latched with a satisfying click.

Thus was the end of Tora the Cat's latest reign of terror…

Unknown to the majority of Squad Eight, Naruto had been observing them from up above the whole time. Though his earpiece said blond heard a familiar and cranky voice barking for a progress report. Speaking into the mike in his sleeve, Naruto replied, "they've just completed their mission and are returning to the Missions' Center."

"Just now?! They've been chasin' that cat for three fuckin' hours!"

"In all fairness," Naruto replied, "they are still lacking in proper coordination."

"After six months?!"

"Again, in all fairness, they have two hotheads on their team who've tended to clash rather often… especially at first. Kiba-San is wising up, as of late, though… and not dragging them down as much as he used to."

There was a heavy sigh on the other side of the radio.

"I'd fuckin' hope so… You're swappin' out with Akari in five, by the way. I want snuggles…"

Naruto couldn't help but smile at this. "Understood, Imouto-Sama."

* * *

 **Some time later, in the Missions' Center of Konohagakure no Sato…**

* * *

"Oh, Tora, sweety, please never run away, again," a large brunette of local nobility gushed, squeezing the life out of her poor cat.

Meanwhile, off to the side, Hinata was torn. On one hand, she felt sorry for the hapless pet. On the other, the damn thing had given her utter hell.

Shizuka and Kiba held not such reservations. _'Yes,'_ they unknowingly thought in sadistic unison, _'squeeze that little monster until it_ fucking _breaks!'_

"Your team has done well, Yuuhi-Chan," Hiruzen commented from behind the desk. "It is a rare sight, indeed, to see Tora-Chan returned so swiftly."

Kurenai bowed respectfully. "Thank you, Hokage-Sama."

"Remind me again why we're doing these glorified chores," Kiba grumbled, his arms crossed. "Today, it was fetching that demon-cat for the twentieth time; yesterday, it was picking up trash in the park; the day before, it was painting a fence! I wasn't complaining before because it pays well, but when are we gonna see some real action and put our training to actual use?!"

Kurenai shot the young man a dirty look. Just as she was about to respond, though, Shizuka jumped right in.

"For once, I agree with Kiba. I signed up to protect and serve my homeland, not help old people with their laundry."

Calm as she usually was, Kurenai couldn't help but let out a low growl at the young woman's tone. "Now, see here—"

Hiruzen diffused the situation with a kindly chuckle. "It's fine, Yuuhi-Chan. You'd be surprised by how commonly this comes up among the newer teams. In fact, I'd expected someone on your team to ask far sooner, given their personalities." Addressing the youths, he smiled and said, "the answer is simple: team building, experience, and revenue. That last one is the most obvious, I'm sure. We are essentially a village of mercenaries, after all. So, we provide our services at a cost and you get a cut of the pay. The rest goes to running Konoha." Those last parts were said more for Kiba's benefit than anyone else.

Seeing that the boy understood, Hiruzen continued. "As rookies, you are assigned the D-Rank missions selected by your instructor, until she deems you ready for something more dangerous. In performing these missions, you—in theory—should get used to working together and complementing each other's skills. You also gain experience in interacting with various clientele and the occasional other squad: thereby developing vital social skills as you progress. Once Yuuhi-Chan deems you ready, you can start accepting C-Rank, then B-Rank and so on—possibly even apply for a promotion. It's all up to you."

Kiba and Shizuka both shared a scowl, but seemed satisfied with the answers. Hinata remained silent on the matter, but a spark her eyes flashed at the mention of promotion. Perhaps advancing to Chuunin would impress Naruto-Kun?

Again, Kurenai bowed. "Thank you, Hokage-Sama," she repeated. "I apologize profusely for my students' disrespect."

Hiruzen let out yet another hearty chuckle. "Think nothing of it!" Taking a much-needed puff of his pipe, he added, "if that is all, you're dismissed. I look forward to seeing you again, tomorrow."

"As do I, Hokage-Sama."

* * *

Meanwhile, in the Black Leaf Estate, Naruto stood before the door to his apartment… or, rather, Nariko's. She was the head of the household, after all.

The young man let out a tired sigh, relieved to be home for the night. Keeping watch over Shizuka and Hinata was surprisingly draining, somehow. Perhaps the uneventfulness was to blame? Possibly… While fending off lynching mobs and large-scale conspiracies was stressful, it was nothing if not a hell of a lot more active. If nothing else, the looks on their adversaries' faces also _never_ failed to entertain.

That thought aside, Naruto reached for the doorknob and… just before he made contact, the door flung open and said blond was violently yanked in with a cartoonish yoink. There was then a slam and a thud, as Naruto found his back to the door—a _very_ pregnant Nariko pressed up against his chest.

The younger twin immediately started purring, as Onii-Chan wrapped his arms around her. It wasn't easy being away from her mate when his baby was still growing inside her… As a result, she was feeling far more needy… perhaps even greedy, now. But it was hard to blame her, all things considered.

Naruto rubbed his sister's back and she purred louder, enjoying the attention.

"Mine,' she muttered possessively.

Naruto chuckled and kissed her on the forehead.

* * *

 **The next morning, Training Ground Three…**

* * *

Kurenai turned her attention to the east, a scowl marring her features. "Would you care to explain why you're here?"

Semimaru-Uzumaki Naruto had just flickered into existence on the very edge of the training ground, the illusion of blue rose petals having just faded, as he approached Squad Eight's instructor. Natsu was watching him closely as well, but wasn't quite as on edge as the red-eyed Jounin. "Need I remind you of my position, Yuuhi-San?" He raised an eyebrow at the woman in question while asking this, before shrugging indifferently. "I am a personal mercenary of the Uchiha and Hyuuga clans. They sent me to see how Shizuka-San and Hinata-San are progressing."

"They are still learning the tree-walking exercise," Natsu explained. "Hinata has nearly mastered it, and is in the process of expanding her reserves and control in preparation for water walking. Shizuka's struggling a bit, though."

It came as no surprise that Hinata had progressed so quickly. The Hyuuga Clan's Gentle Fist fighting style required its practitioners to have massive control over their Chakra.

"Thank you for your cooperation, Natsu-San," Naruto replied, bowing respectfully.

Said Cadet felt rather odd, having not expected to receive such courtesy and sincerity from the young man—but nodded politely, nonetheless.

Meanwhile, Shizuka scowled. She didn't like it when others saw her struggle. But, then, she started blushing, as Naruto turned to her.

"Please continue, Shizuka-San," he said.

"You can drop the 'San'," she replied. "There's no need to be so formal."

Naruto smiled faintly and nodded. "Very well, then… Shizuka."

Said Uchiha blushed and looked away shyly. "Uh... thanks..." Taking a soothing breath, she then calmed down a bit, before glaring at the tree she'd been running up for the past several days. Again, she tried... and again... and again... and again...

Meanwhile, Hinata ran back up after finishing her rest, and stopped upside-down on one of the tree branches. Then, she folded one leg, and stayed put for a bit. Once she started to struggle, Hinata switched legs and kept at it for as long as she could.

Upon coming back down, Natsu informed her that she had improved by ten seconds.

As for Kiba, he was having the same issues as Shizuka, but improving slowly. Learning from his teammates, he saw that getting frustrated would only make it harder. So, he took a break every now and then to cool his head, before going at it, again.

Shizuka, however, was not doing that herself, and thus swiftly become a good example of how frustration was a powerful hindrance. After her fifth attempt, Naruto sighed and approached the grumbling Uchiha. Shizuka immediately turned beet red, as she realized that her crush had draped his arm around her shoulder.

"While I know you don't like my sister," Naruto said, "I'm sure you can agree with something she often likes to say… admittedly more to herself than anyone: 'cool heads are the kind that get shit done.' Take a moment to calm down, then try again."

Shizuka sighed, not liking to be lectured, but silently took his advice. She wouldn't say aloud that he was right— _especially_ because he was using that hussey's words to prove a point. But, as much as she hated to admit it, he _was_ right, nonetheless...

Naruto smiled as the both of them stood up. Seeing Shizuka take a few calming breaths, he then gave her one more tip. "Start off using as little Chakra as you can," he said, "then, gradually increase it, until you start to stick." Seeing the young Uchiha nod, Naruto then leaned in and whispered something into her ear, causing her to feel the heat coming off her cheeks.

Then, Shizuka took one more breath to calm herself, again, before eagerly returning to the exercise. Her crush smiled as the Uchiha found herself nearly doubling the distance she'd previously covered in only three tries.

Despite being as helpful as he was, though, Naruto could feel a pair of crimson eyes giving him a suspicious look. But, before Kurenai could voice concern, he explained in an unreadable drawl, "I merely provided her with some incentive, Yuuhi-San."

The only thing he made clear was that he didn't give a shit what she thought, and Kurenai was _not_ happy about it in the slightest.

In three more tries, Shizuka made even more ground. But, then, on lucky number seven, she slowed to a stop. Now, she stood, perfectly still with her feet firmly planted upon the trunk and her body parallel to the ground. Holy shit, she did it!

Fuck!

The instant she realized her success, Shizuka lost control and started falling… and then, the poor Uchiha blushed so brightly her cheeks practically gave off _light_ , as she realized that Naruto had caught her in mid-air.

"Nicely done," he complemented. "Keep it up, and you should have it down in no time."

Shizuka could only nod in response—her voice failing her, at the moment.

With a nod of his own, Naruto drifted downwards, before placing his starry-eyed passenger back upon the earth. Readdressing Kurenai, he then said, "I do believe that I've seen enough. I shall be off to file my report, then." He then gave a respectful bow. "Do have a nice day, Yuuhi-San."

With that, he melted into a swirl of blue rose petals: flickering off to the Uchiha Clan compound.

Shizuka slumped against the tree she'd been using for the exercise, her heart racing. Did that really just happen? Was she just dreaming? If so, she didn't want to wake up, ever again... Taking a deep, calming breath, the young Uchiha smiled. She could _still_ feel the heat coming off her cheeks! Holy shit...

Shizuka giggled, unable to keep the smile off her face. Friday couldn't _possibly_ come soon enough...

* * *

Later that day…

"FUCK!"

Squad Eight found themselves performing quite the familiar song and dance…

"Stupid cat," Kiba groaned.

Come to think of it, just how was that thing escaping? At this point, her whole damn house was basically encased within a giant, electric kennel… on concrete… with motion detectors, multiple guards always on duty, and all kinds of other crazy shit. It honestly didn't make a lick of sense.

Despite the situation, Shizuka was still on cloud nine. _'He invited me on a date,'_ she thought, a shit-eating grin plastered across her face. _'I can't wait!'_

Waiting for her students to catch their quarry as always, Kurenai observed from afar. Shizuka had been uncharacteristically cheerful since _that_ young man spoke to her, a few hours ago. What did he say to her?

Kurenai scowled. Perhaps this 'incentive' was sexual in nature? No, it _had_ to be something lewd… because, of course it was! While she couldn't just yet prove it, the Jounin was absolutely certain of her assertion. There was one thing she did know, after all: that blond was a _terrible_ influence! Case in point, he was surely the one who'd corrupted his sister, somehow.

' _There's no way in hell a woman could_ possibly _become so vulgar on her own,'_ Kurenai reasoned. Then, she remembered what Hinata had screamed to Kiba during their little test and her frown only deepened. _'Clearly, he's already gotten a hold on her, as well. Now he's set his sights on the heiress of the Uchiha Clan. It's only a matter of time before he does something unseemly and gets them pregnant or worse… I must find out what he's planning, before it's too late!'_

Natsu, meanwhile, could sense Kurenai's inner turmoil and malice. It had first started surfacing when Naruto left and seemed to be aimed towards him. Was she planning something?

* * *

Meanwhile, Uchiha Mikoto and Hyuuga Hiashi sat before Reiko in her personal meeting chamber, enjoying a nice pot of tea provided to them, as they awaited Naruto's return. Surrounded by the usual entourage of Hyuuga Cadet Branch guards and ANBU Squad 13, the two Clan Heads never felt safer than they did here—not even in their own compounds… especially after the Uchiha Clan Massacre.

Suddenly, everyone's attention was quickly redirected to a swirl of blue petals, as Naruto flickered into existence before the Clan Heads.

"Ah, Naruto-Kun," Mikoto greeted with a warm smile, "how goes everything?"

"Quite well," the blond replied. "Everything here in the Pit has become remarkably calm, since Imouto-Sama created the River."

Taking a puff of her pipe, Reiko butted in, just a bit. "Don't sell yourself short, my boy; she couldn't have done it without your help."

"True," Naruto replied. Then, he shrugged. "But, she is still the one who cast the technique… and thought it up."

Mikoto couldn't help but chuckle. "Knowing that girl, she certainly would have…"

"Indeed," Hiashi nodded. Then, he decided now was a good time to get to business. No need to give his clan's council an excuse to irritate him again, eh? "So, how is Hinata?"

"Quite well," Naruto answered with a nod. "She's already mastered tree-walking and is well on her way to the next level. She's also shown herself to be quite satisfied with her new home and her team. Kiba-San tends to mildly irritate her, every now and then, but that is the worst of it."

Hiashi nodded in satisfaction. "Good. Be sure to keep an eye on that boy, though. I want him dealt with if he tries anything funny."

"Will do, Hiashi-San." The blond then turned to Mikoto. "Shizuka's in a similar boat. She has just mastered tree-walking and is showing herself to be quite happy, too."

"But?" Mikoto knew there was one coming.

"She exhibits heavy resentment towards Imouto-Sama." Naruto sighed. "Surprisingly, she's shown herself to be the more emotionally-frail one between the two… No offense intended, but it seems most likely due to her ego."

The young matriarch scowled. That was a far more common problem among the Uchiha than she was willing to admit aloud.

"I've also arranged a meeting with her this upcoming Friday," Naruto added.

Mikoto scoffed. "You mispronounced 'date'," she teased. The Uchiha was a mother, after all; she didn't need to be a Sensor to know exactly what the boy meant.

"It is intended to just be a little chat over dinner at a nice restaurant," the blond assured her. "Getting to know her better first would be preferable."

"Oh, that girl is going to be on cloud nine," Mikoto sighed, both exasperated and amused. Then, she shot Naruto a serious look. "You _will_ take good care of her."

"Of course," he replied with a respectful bow. "I am a man of my word." Upon seeing the Uchiha mother's satisfied nod, Naruto then turned towards his adoptive mother. "Speaking of women I am to care for, how is Imouto-Sama?"

Now, it was Reiko's turn to sigh. "Immeasurably cranky without you around," she stated. "According to Rin, she should also come to term any day, now." Taking a puff of her pipe, she added, "we can say beyond a doubt, now, that Nariko-Chan only takes six months or so to produce a child… at least when you're the father. We'll probably never know how long another man's child would take to develop, though."

Naruto shrugged. "That would be a safe assumption," Naruto commented, "Imouto-Sama has zero interest in any other man, romantically-speaking. I _have_ caught her ogling the occasional woman, though."

"Not surprising," Reiko sighed. "I've suspected that might have something to do with why she's so willing to allow other women near you."

"Possibly…" the blond admitted thoughtfully.

* * *

That evening, just as the members of Squad Eight were preparing to go home for the day, Hinata approached Shizuka with an impish grin. "So, what naughty things did he whisper into your ear," the former Hyuuga teased.

Her childhood friend turned beet red.

"Oh, please," Hinata giggled, "you honestly think I didn't notice? You've had a spring in your step for hours! He obviously said something interesting."

Shizuka chuckled; Hinata knew her well. "He told me that if I got my feet to stick in ten more tries, he'd take me out to dinner. Obviously, I couldn't pass up the opportunity impress him."

The former Hyuuga giggled—admittedly jealous, but still happy for her friend. "I counted seven. Congratulations! You simply _have_ to tell me all about it! When's the big day?"

"Friday night," Shizuka beamed. "He'll be picking me up at nine. I can't wait!"

Secretly overhearing her female students indulge in being a bit girly for once, the alarm bells in Kurenai's head went off. She had to do something! Kurenai simply couldn't sit idly by and let that womanizer corrupt another victim!

Natsu, meanwhile, could certainly tell that the Jounin was up to something. What it was, the maid wasn't sure, but it certainly had to do with that date.

* * *

That night, Natsu found herself standing before the Semimaru-Uzumaki Twins' apartment door. Visibly nervous, she couldn't believe she was actively helping them. But, the maid's duty came before her personal feelings, at the end of the day. Taking a deep, calming breath, she waited until the little family was done with their dinner before knocking, so as not to be rude.

"Why is that lady at the door," Yoshiko asked, legitimately curious.

"Good question, honey," Nariko replied in a sickly-sweet tone. 'Twas unsettling, but not unexpected…

A few clicks and slides later, Naruto unlocked the door and cracked it open. "Is there something you need, Natsu-San?"

The aforementioned maid bowed respectively. Feeling Nariko's suspicious glare upon her, it was clearly best that this meeting be kept as brief as possible. "I have reason to believe that Yuuhi-San may be intending to act against your interests, Semimaru-Sama."

Both twins scowled but showed mild interest.

"Imouto-Sama and I have suspected as much for some time, now," Naruto pointed out. "I assume you have more to go on?"

"She overheard Shizuka-Sama mention your date, next Friday," Natsu nodded. "I have reason to believe she intends to sabotage it. I could sense her malice, when it was brought up. I think she may have a vendetta against you, in particular, as well… but, I'm not sure why."

"I thank you for the warning," the blond replied with a polite nod. "I could sense her ill will, as well. Keep an eye on her and you will be rewarded. I will inform Hiashi-Sama and Mikoto-Sama in the morning. Is that all?"

"For now… I apologize for the intrusion."

"I wish you a good night, then, Natsu-San."

With that said and done, the aforementioned Hyuuga bowed and returned to her apartment.

Nariko let out a calming breath and gave her brother a dirty look as he closed and locked the door. "If that bitch is lookin' to try somethin' stupid, I want her smoked."

Yoshiko cocked her head in curiosity. "Which one?"

"Either."

"I will inflict the _very_ worst upon her that I can get away with, Imouto-Sama."

"Good boy," Nariko grunted. Then, she groaned uncomfortably and glared at her swollen belly, growling, "and you, behave yourself!"

* * *

A few days later, Shizuka desperately tried to regain her composure. It was hard to breathe; her hands were shaking; she broke out into a cold sweat. What if she fucked up? What if she scared him off? What if—

"SHIZUKA!"

"GYAAAH!" Said Uchiha nearly jumped two feet in the air, at her best friend's shout. Then, she unceremoniously fell on her ass.

"I've been calling your name for three minutes," Hinata pointed out, "are you okay?"

"I-I'm fine," Shizuka panted, "just… cold feet…"

The former Hyuuga furrowed her brow. "You've been trying to get in his pants for years! How are you losing your nerve over a dinner?"

"I know, right?" The young Uchiha let out a sheepish chuckle. "I… I guess I'm just nervous. What if I make a fool of myself?"

"Naruto-Kun wouldn't care." There was an uncharacteristic confidence in those words. "He's fucking his own sister—an amoral junky, no less! What could you possibly do to make a man _that_ clearly desperate lose interest?"

Shizuka impishly leered at her friend. "You make him sound easy."

Hinata chuckled nervously. "For you, he probably will be."

"Don't sell yourself short; you have a nice rack under that coat, and I'm sure he finds you cute."

Now, it was the Uchiha's turn to have a hearty laugh, as her friend turned beet red. Damn, she needed that!

"I… I suppose," Hinata admitted. All the conviction she'd previously exhibited was now conspicuously absent. "He seems to have a thing for more… confident women, though."

"Oh, don't give me that! You just need to poke your head out of your shell more often."

"I suppose," Hinata repeated.

After a long pause, Shizuka let out a calming breath. "Either way, thanks for getting me out of my funk. So… what should I wear?"

* * *

Not long later, Naruto stood before the door of his charges' apartment. Decked out in a long sleeve orange button-up shirt with black slacks and nice, leather shoes, he was clearly dressed to impress, and his hair was pulled back into a neat ponytail. Finishing the look as usual were his black and orange shades, making him look every bit like the gangster he was.

He looked forward to seeing Shizuka's reaction… Something about the sight of a girl tripping all over herself was a guilty pleasure, though he honestly hadn't the foggiest clue as to why.

Naruto looked at his watch and saw it was 8:59. Figuring he may as well knock now, he did, and was greeted with the sound of Shizuka swearing and asking Hinata to get her heels.

Then, he heard someone scrambling to the door. Naruto's senses told him it was Shizuka… and that she was wearing a nice perfume.

Sure enough, she was the one who answered. "Yes?"

"Are you ready," Naruto asked. "I can wait."

"No need," Shizuka replied opening the door. Then, she turned beet red at Naruto's new look.

Meanwhile, the blond in question eyeballed his date.

Shizuka had opted for a simple but sexy black, silken halter dress. Her hair was done up in a bun with her bangs left free to frame her face. She also wore a white, pearl necklace, white gold hoop earrings and just enough makeup to accentuate her natural beauty—what popped out most were her bright red nails and lipstick. Finishing the look were an expensive, black leather purse and strappy, high-heel sandals.

All-in-all, the look was simple but elegant: showing off just enough to remain classy, while clearly trying to entice.

Naruto smiled. She was trying to seduce him on the first date, wasn't she? He could literally smell it. But, that would have to wait. He didn't want her trying to pry him from Imouto-Sama, and knew this woman would do just that, as it was.

Such details weren't going to stop them from having a good time, though.

After a brief pause, Naruto held out a hand, beckoning her to come. Shizuka blushed harder in response, but wasted no time hopping to his side and wrapping her arms around his right one. The blond couldn't help but chuckle at her enthusiasm.

* * *

Before a particularly fancy diner, a blue cyclone of rose petals materialized before dissipating to reveal Naruto and Shizuka.

Almost immediately, said Uchiha was floored. Something like _this_ was in Naruto-Kun's budget?! Holy shit! As the heiress to an extremely influential noble clan, Shizuka knew damn well how expensive reservations for a place like this could be.

"Ah, Naruto-Sama," a voice called out, startling the young woman outta her train of thought. "Right on time, as usual."

The only thing that surprised Shizuka more than the interruption, though, was whom the voice belonged to.

"Ami?! What are you doing here?"

The Uchiha's former classmate giggled. "I had to end up _somewhere_ after dropping out, didn't I?"

The girl in question was a purple-haired chick with grey eyes. As per the dress code of the establishment, she was decked out in a feminine, dark blue business suit with a short skirt and white undershirt. This attire didn't at all match with her odd hairstyle, though. Just as they had been in the academy, Ami's violet tresses were quite long on the left side, reaching down past her breasts, while on the right, they were cropped extremely short. Somehow, though, she pulled the unorthodox do off quite well.

One thing that stood out, though, was a sizeable bulge in her abdomen. For this reason, she was exempt from wearing the usually-mandated high heels instead of the simple pair of black slippers she currently wore.

Shizuka's eyes nearly popped outta her skull. Ami, of all people, was pregnant?! How the hell did _that_ happen? Granted, she and the Uchiha got along fairly well, but the plum-head in question was a notorious bully.

For the life of her, Shizuka couldn't think of any man who would touch her with a ten-foot pole… not knowing how physically close she was to who done it.

Again, Ami giggled. "Just shy of seven months," she said. "I knew I couldn't manage being a single mother as well as a kunoichi, so I chose the former and now I'm here." Upon seeing a still bewildered Shizuka nod, Ami gestured for the young couple to follow. "On to business, then… I will be your hostess for tonight. Please, follow me!"

* * *

On the other side of the street, just out of sight, Kurenai slunk on up to follow them. It hadn't taken much effort to figure out where Naruto would bring Shizuka. She was a Jounin for a reason, after all. Now she needed to put an end to this engagement, before it was too late!

Just as this thought passed through her mind, Kurenai came to a brief halt. Suddenly in her path was a woman with black, visor-style sunglasses, a heavy, white, hooded trench coat, black cargo pants and matching combat boots. It was clear that this chick was of the Aburame Clan, despite the red-eyed Jounin being in no position to see the bug-shaped crest on the back of her coat. How anyone—let alone _everyone_ —in that clan could stand wearing such clothing this time of year never failed to baffle Kurenai, among others, but no one really thought to ask.

While still part of the village and her people, the noble clans all had their own autonomy, to some extent. They also largely tended to keep to themselves over the past few generations—resulting in many of their members essentially developing into their own, little subcultures. For few was this more true than the Aburame, in particular. On top of that, the members of said clan tended to come off as… well, kinda creepy—especially due to their apparent fascination with bugs and almost zombie-like apathy.

Brushing these thoughts and her initial surprise aside, Kurenai pressed on. This woman, while certainly unsettling, was ultimately harmless… But, then, the Aburame stepped in her way.

Frowning slightly, Kurenai stepped in the other direction, only for this woman to step in her way, again.

Damn it, she had a student to protect; Kurenai did _not_ have time for such childish games! "Can I help you, Aburame-San?"

"Fukutaichou Aburame Shiroari of Unit 13," the woman corrected—her voice bearing no emotion, as one would expect.

Kurenai flinched. _'Unit 13?! As in the Twins' rumored bodyguards?'_ That spelled trouble… but, the Jounin carried on, regardless. "I see… again, can I help you?"

"You can," Shiroari replied, "by backing off."

Yup, that _definitely_ spelled trouble… "Would you… care to clarify?"

"Cease and desist your planned course of action or be charged with treason."

"T-TREASON?!" Poor Kurenai nearly shat herself: utterly flabbergasted. Wasn't that taking it a little far?

"You intend to sabotage their date, do you not?"

"Of course not!" If nothing else, her poker-face was impressive…

"I will have you know that I am a Sensor," Shiroari pointed out, resulting in the Jounin before her turning a bit pale. Then, a little, black beetle flew into Kurenai's line of sight. Shiroari held out a hand and let the beetle land on her index finger. "I don't need my little friends' help to know that you're lying."

As she spoke, the little guy crawled up to his mistress's knuckle and _entered_ the back of her hand with a wet squish.

The sound and sight churned Kurenai's stomach, though she didn't show it. "Even if I was, how does that constitute treason?"

"Damaging Public Relations with a Foreign Party in the First Degree," Shiroari clarified. "Furthermore, your crimes also consist of Conspiracy against the Head of a Noble Clan in the First Degree and Overstepping the Boundaries of Authority in the Third Degree." The Aburame then got ready to snap her fingers, clearly as a signal. "This is your final warning: back off."

Kurenai stepped back defensively, scowling. She was many things: vindictive, stubborn, perhaps even a bit prejudiced—but the Jounin in question was also far from dumb enough to take this woman up on her challenge. Shiroari wasn't the only Sensor present, after all. "Very well," she muttered dejectedly, then turned to walk away.

As the red-eyed Jounin left, she failed to notice three violet insects hopping off her nice ass and buzzing on over to their mistress.

The instant Kurenai was out of earshot, Shiroari let out a quiet sigh. "I know, I'm disappointed, too. I wanted to try out that new poison just as badly as you three." She then shrugged. "Oh well… Maybe we'll get another chance, later."

* * *

After being taken to their private table in the back, Naruto offered to pull out Shizuka's seat for her. The girl blushed heavily at the gesture, but politely declined. So, they took their seats, as Ami presented them with their menus.

Upon looking at hers, Shizuka's eyes nearly popped out of her head. Holy shit, this was expensive! Even the finest diners she'd visited weren't half this pricey!

"Don't worry about the cost," Naruto told her, as if reading the girl's mind. "I have it covered."

"R-right," the Uchiha sputtered. "Very well, then…"

Just a bit later, Ami waddled off to turn in their order. Meanwhile, Naruto decided to break the ice, as Shizuka nibbled away on an appetizer they'd been provided with.

"So, how have your other neighbors been treating you? Any complaints?"

Shizuka perked up. "No, I'm fine," she chuckled. "Kotohiko's very civil. In all honesty, I'm surprised he hasn't found himself a girl, yet."

Naruto nodded. "He puts his duties first. He'll probably find one when he starts looking, but that doesn't seem to be happening any time soon."

That made sense… It was quite the common practice among members of the Uchiha Clan, actually.

"A-as for Ayame," Shizuka continued, "she's very nice, as far as I can tell. We don't talk much though… and Dosu's… a giant question mark. He just keeps to himself, though I don't have a problem with that."

"He is the reclusive type," Naruto explained. Then, he smiled faintly. "I'm glad you get along."

Shizuka blushed, but smiled with a nod. "So… um," she then began, "how long have you and Nariko been together?"

"It depends on what you mean by together," Naruto answered. "We've been watching each other's back since Okaa-Sama left, when we turned nine. Anko-Neesama and Reiko-Neesama had yet to earn our trust at that point." The blond then leaned forward and laced his fingers, as he continued. "Once puberty fully kicked in at the age of twelve, we found ourselves… caught in an awkward situation. Imouto-Sama and I have been mating ever since."

Shizuka winced. "So it's been six years?"

"Give or take a month or two, yes." Naruto shrugged. "We had no one else to turn to at the time, because you and Hinata-San were still living so far away. Furthermore, we barely knew you at the time and were less-inclined to trust _anybody_ , because of all the people who wanted us dead."

Shizuka winced, again. "I… I'm sorry, had I known—"

"You have no reason to apologize," Naruto interrupted with a dismissive wave. "There is nothing _anyone_ could have done at the time… which was partially our own fault for not trusting our mother's judgment as much as we should have."

The brunette scowled, but nodded.

An awkward, but somehow comfortable silence graced the two as they enjoyed each other's presence as well as their meal and the occasional chit-chat...

* * *

Later that night, a very content Shizuka was hugged Naruto's arm, as he escorted her home. Practically speaking, her apartment was next door to his, so he might as well. But, she saw the gesture as rather sweet, nonetheless.

As they turned the corner, Naruto stopped, as he felt his date squeeze his arm. Shizuka went stiff, surprised to see a thoroughly swollen Nariko waiting for them in the hallway.

Said blonde was garbed in her light orange nightgown, leaning against the door to her and Naruto's apartment. There was a calm but longing expression upon her face as she rubbed her belly. Then, as if sensing their gaze, she looked to Naruto and Shizuka, before waddling towards them.

The Uchiha was visibly uneasy, though she put up no resistance when her date approached his sister. Then, Shizuka found herself thoroughly surprised when Nariko wrapped her arms around Naruto and started to purr.

Shizuka looked uncomfortable, at first, but said nothing. Even when Naruto placed his free and on the back of his sister's head and petted her lovingly, the Uchiha remained silent. Even when she noticed Nariko's tattoos, Shizuka was still silent. Despite them being twins, despite the taboo of their relationship, despite the fact that Nariko was most likely pregnant with her own brother's inbred child, the two looked so happy together. They clearly loved each other so much…

Shizuka bit nervously her lip. While admittedly jealous, she couldn't deny that her crush looked genuinely happy. Could it be that she had been wrong about their relationship?

Then, Nariko withdrew and stepped aside, letting Naruto bring Shizuka to her apartment. So, he did just that.

Said Uchiha smiled at the blond, giving him a peck on the cheek. "Thanks for the date," she whispered.

Naruto smiled, placing a hand on Shizuka's cheek. "We should do it again, some time. Have a good night."

Shizuka blushed heavily, her grin widening, before she slipped back into her apartment and got ready for bed.

Once the brunette made herself scarce, Nariko hugged her brother from behind and started purring, again. This was going to be a long night, wasn't it?

Needless to say, their neighbors could do without the lewd noises that would be keeping them up, later on...

* * *

 **That's it for now. Not much going on in this chapter, sadly, as it's the first of a new arc. We're heading off to Nami, soon, though. Can't wait to show the Twins in action! =3 Hoping to have the next one ready in less than a month, as I know my fans are probably chomping at the bit to get some new content.**

 **Speaking of new content, I've also got a oneshot coming up, named the Rkudaime Scandal. If you're reading this for the naughty bits, be on the lookout for that, eh? =3**

 **Any fans of evil, scary-ass danger lolis out there? If so, another fanfic you might be interested is in the works—one of those collabs I mentioned earlier. =3 Its current name is Phantom, but that may change later. I'll do my best to keep you posted.**

 **Finally, to the fans of Silver and Gold, I haven't forgotten you! I'mma need to do some rewriting, but I shall be busting my ass on that, too! I'm also gonna be doing a few touch-ups to the previous chapters of Twisted Bonds, as some nasty errors and other such sloppiness have been brought to my attention.**

 **All-in-all, I'm glad to be back and raising hell! Fuck yeah!**

* * *

 **Trivia:**

 **Aburame Shiroari is an OC of mine who will be popping up in several of my fanfics, depending on whether or not I need someone to fill a Jounin-level slot. Her name means "Termite" and, as usual, if you wanna use her for one of your fanfics, just let me know.**

 **She was originally created for Silver and Gold, but it looks like her debut is to take place here, lol. Expect to see her again soon, if you're a fan of that one.**

* * *

 **That's it for now. Hope to see y'all soon, eh? =3**


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